Bush Administration Moving in the Right Direction, but Not Enough

Homeland Security Chief Tells of Plan to Stabilize Border
By ERIC LIPTON
Published: August 24, 2005

WASHINGTON, Aug. 23 -Acknowledging public frustration over illegal immigrants, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said Tuesday that the federal government's border control efforts must be significantly strengthened.

"We have decided to stand back and take a look at how we address the problem and solve it once and for all," Mr. Chertoff said at a breakfast meeting with reporters. "The American public is rightly distressed about a situation in which they feel we do not have the proper control over our borders."

The unusually blunt assessment by the nation's top immigration official follows border-related emergency declarations by the governors of New Mexico and Arizona, who cited a surge in smuggling and violence associated with a steady flow of illegal immigrants.

The strategy that Mr. Chertoff said his department was preparing goes far beyond hiring more Border Patrol agents and installing more surveillance cameras, infrared and motion detectors, and fences, initiatives that are already planned or under way.

A small step forward. but clearly not nearly enough. I'm still not sure that they fully understand how unhappy we are out here. President Bush and the Republicans need to understand that we are really POed about this and we don't care if the Republicans lose the Hispanic vote. We care about our security and the integrity of our national borders. That's it, no more, no less.

Full Story: Chertoff on Illegals

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