Ah, remember the good old days when the Left went ballistic when it was proposed that national guard troops be used to secure the border? How it was all “Posse Comitatus Act” and Bush is bad? The wacko site After Downing Street even included it in their silly Articles Of Impeachment. The Daily Kos was freaking out, calling for people to get very loud and giving an “ACTION UPDATE!” It was the big Democrat/liberal/progressive/surrender monkey meme back in 2006.
Flash forward to May, 2010. Crickets from the left
President Obama will send up to 1,200 National Guard troops to the Southwest border and seek increased spending on law enforcement there to combat drug smuggling after demands from Republican and Democratic lawmakers that border security be tightened.
The decision was disclosed by a Democratic lawmaker and confirmed by administration officials after Mr. Obama met on Tuesday with Republican senators, several of whom have demanded that troops be placed at the border. The lawmakers learned of the plan after the meeting.
But the move also reflected political pressure in the president’s own party with midterm election campaigns under way and with what is expected to be a tumultuous debate on overhauling immigration law coming up on Capitol Hill.
So……they aren’t there to actually secure the border against an invasion of immigrants, but, to act in a law enforcement manner?
18 U.S.C. § 1385. Use of Army and Air Force as posse comitatus: Whoever, except in cases and under circumstances expressly authorized by the Constitution or Act of Congress, willfully uses any part of the Army or the Air Force as a posse comitatus or otherwise to execute the laws shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.
Interesting. It would seem that Obama would be in violation. Or, that is what the left will eventually say once they get their talking points in order and emailed, since stopping drugs doesn’t really come under the “To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions” section of the Constitution (Article I section 8). But, they are already authorized to perform this job, as there are already Guard units operating at the border. But, not to stop illegals, per say, though they have helped arrest 162,000 since 2006. Who were probably put into the catch and release with a firm promise to return for their immigration hearing.
While I applaud Obama for doing this, even if the move is more symbolic, and political, than substantive, how about we just finish the fence and pass a few laws that will dissincent illegals from coming, such as slapping companies and people who hire illegals with massive fines and penalties? No jobs, and most will leave, and the majority that come will strictly be bad guys, at a much reduced flow.
Meanwhile, Los Government de Mexico is trying to tell the USA how to actually secure the border
Regarding the Administration’s decision to send 1,200 National Guard servicemen to the US Southern border, the Government of Mexico trusts that this decision will help to channel additional US resources to enhance efforts to prevent the illegal flows of weapons and bulk cash into Mexico, which provide organized crime with its firepower and its ability to corrupt.
Additionally, the Government of Mexico expects that National Guard personnel will strengthen US operations in the fight against transnational organized crime that operates on both sides of our common border and that it will not, in accordance to its legal obligations, conduct activities directly linked to the enforcement of immigration laws.
Not to be all conspiracy minded this early in the a.m., but, does anyone else think President Chump and Mexco President Calderone discussed this when he was visiting and insulting? Synch’d the message up a bit?
Crossed at Right Wing News and Stop The ACLU
