It’s not the fault of the National Guard, of course, but the boobs at the White House and the executive offices at DHS
The 1,200 National Guard troops that are being deployed incrementally to the southwest border “will not be doing direct law enforcement,†said U.S. National Guard Bureau Director of Communications Jack Harrison when asked if the forces would be interdicting drugs and undocumented immigrants.
“The two mission sets are criminal analysts and enter-identification team,†Harrison told CNSNews.com. “I can tell you that guardsmen will not be doing direct law enforcement on the southwest border.â€
In other words, the National Guardsmen will not be used to actually stop and detain illegal aliens trying to sneak across the border into the United States.
Surprise!
Of course, I still maintain that the best way to stop most illegal immigration is to place whopping fines and penalties on the companies and people who employ illegals, then implement a system for temporary/migrants workers where the company is responsible for their visas, healthcare, and housing. Reduce the number of illegals simply coming for work and a better life, and border agents and other law enforcement can concentrate on stopping the drug traffickers, murderers, and other really bad ones, not too mention keeping others from overstaying their visas.
That said, we still need to secure the border, and Washington, both during Bush’s years and now in Obama’s, keeps finding ways to never really accomplish the mission.
The fence was completed in AZ over 1 year ago.Posse Comitatus precludes Federal troops being used to enforce federal laws. It is that pesky United States Constitution thing again, something the conservatives now seem to hatehttp://tucsoncitizen.com/view-from-baja-arizona/2010/07/20/national-guard-to-be-deployed-at-the-arizona-border/
The GOP already wants to change the 14th Amendment why not strat allowing Federal troops to declare martial law everywhere ? I mean what could possibly go wrong with that ?
Heoly smokes John, it is NOT completed, you have said this already and given a link to check, which I did and found this out: they’ve erected a trial portion of an electonic fence for testing purposes; it’s a “virtual fence†that is not working all that well.
Per your own link:
“But after spending between $700 million and $800 million to build a 28-mile pilot version of the system in Arizona, Homeland Security has almost nothing to show for it. The system has difficulty seeing clearly and often transmits false alarms.
Bersin said Homeland Security is now conducting an assessment of the program to see if the project can continue, or, if not, if anything can be salvaged. The department is also reviewing each sector along the U.S.-Mexico border to figure out what technologies would help them secure their areas against smugglers and illegal immigrants. He did not say when those assessments would be completed.â€
Posse Comitatus precludes Federal troops being used to enforce federal laws.
Wow. Ryan finds a columnist that says that a law prohibits the use of troops in law enforcement and he believes it to be factual.
Of course, Ryan keeps citing already disproven articles, but that never stops him.
Here Ryan read the actual statute. It is easy to find.
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/uscode18/usc_sec_18_00001385—-000-.html
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.
Who is sending the troops to the border, Ryan? It is the Congress.
Nice try though.
Now, now, gitarcarver, Democrat Talking Points certainly trump actual law, right?
And, Trish, just because the virtual fence is a miserable failure, that’s no reason not to bow down Liberal World. Sheesh
Ok. Wait, wait, wait.
Let’s give John the benefit of the doubt here and agree for the moment that NO ARMED FEDERAL TROOPS are allowed to be deployed to guard our borders on American soil.
Things brings up two unique situations.
1) Who are the US Border Patrol? Who pays their salaries and who buys their WEAPONS?
Are they not federal agents patrolling the border with guns?
2) If we can get past this Possum Come-atus issue, then let’s put our troops that are being pulled out of Iraq, Afghanistan and Gitmo (since the wars have ended there a year ago) and deploy them to the MEXICAN side of the border.
Problem solved.
“You wanna crossa my border fence-a? You gotta getta bya ME and me buddies first-a!”
If all this sounds a bit stupid, then please realize the reality that we have been invaded and war has been declared upon our citizens. We have areas on our border that is controlled by armed and organized people from another country. They have taken our people and our lands hostage!
It is time to start treating this like a real battle and quit pussy-footing around by sending our soldiers to do paperwork.
Are they not federal agents patrolling the border with guns?
Cap’n,
The statute is explicit in naming branches of the military that may not be used unless in special circumstances. It is more than arming federal agents.
Personally, I don’t want soldiers on the border. I know that goes against the grain, but I want my soldiers to be trained to fight, destroy, blow up, and conquer when told to.
Passively watching a border and waiting is not a good use of their time and resources.
I would much rather see the Border Patrol be increased in size and given the tools and authorization to address people crossing into the country illegally.
Doing that, however, would take political will and listening to the voice of the people. That is not something this administration has been doing.
Very true Gitcarver. I was just making some points against John and his “no feds on border” statement.
I too would love to see the Border Patrol quadrupled in size and authority.
However, I think a relevant piece from the Article you cited needs to be posted again:
” except in cases and under circumstances expressly authorized by the Constitution or Act of Congress,”
So, an Act of Congress, properly voted on and passed, could allow the Army and Air Force to operate on the border for our security.
Heck, like you said, the Marines and Special Forces could be on the border right now. Imagine them operating in the dark of night sneaking up on these intruders, popping out from behind rocks and trees with their bullseye lasers beaming through the night.
Tell me that’s not a deterrent!!!!
Tell me that’s not a deterrent!!!!
To me, it is only a deterrent if the Marine has a ROE to shoot on sight. You and I know that is never going to happen.
Even if the Marine had authorization to detain someone, the Marine is not going to take them to some military camp or prison. They are going to turn them over to some civilian agency who will weep at the cries of “injustice” done to the person invading our sovereign soil.
I know what you are saying and to some extent I agree with you. Imagine a M1A2, a Bradley, or Stryker rolling up on people. It would be terrifying to the people.
However, I don’t want my Marines, soldiers, airman and sailors doing police work. I am for the “see an objective, capture or destroy it” type of military.
Some of my best friends are in the military, ex-military, and some have transitioned from military to civilian police. They all say the mindset is different between that of a police officer and that of a warrior.
As for Ryan, he won’t learn anything that is contrary to his world view. For example, Army units were used for crowd control, and law enforcement during the 1986 Atlanta Olympics. For most people, that would be a clear indication that “Posse Comitatus” is not as clear cut as he would espouse.
For him, it is just another point to try and make no matter how disproved it is.