Obama to send 1,200 troops to US-Mexico border (activities, donate)

[Arizona Mike]

It's not like the National Guard troops will be used to prevent illegal aliens from entering the United States. On Wednesday, the Obama administration announced they're just there to keep guns from going down into Mexico and to prevent drugs from coming up here. The announcement came after Mexico's President Calderon complained about Obama's action. Obama quickly backed down.

State Department spokesman Philip Crowley told reporters, “It’s not about immigration.”

If anything, Obama's action will actually reduce the effectiveness of immigration enforcement, as the NG troops will be unarmed and not allowed to make arrests, so Border Patrol agents will have to be detailed to bodyguard the NG troops. That means there will be fewer BP agents available to be mobile and try to interdict illegals entering the country.

This is a huge dog and pony show. Obama feels like he has to do something to get in front of the bipartisan anti-illegal immigration juggernaut, as the Massachusetts senate passed a strong bill to discourage illegal immigration and a CNN Poll (not Fox, okay - CNN!) shows 82% of those polled oppose boycotting Arizona, and 57% of the thousand polled approve of Arizona's law.

Those who want the number of illegal immigrants decreased went up three points in seven months to 76%
Those who want all illegal immigrants expelled increased four points to 41%
The split on whether immigration reform should focus on normalization or enforcement increased from 41/56 in December 2005 to 38/60 today
Support for border fence went from a steady 45% over the last 4 years to 54%
Support for stiff employer fines rose from 58% in 2006 to 71%
Increasing federal agents at the border now supported by 88%, up from 74%.

[Grannysroost]

I wonder why we're sleeping with Mexico (as a country via Obama) guaranteeing to Calderon the NG won't be after illegal immigrants...how do they discern at first glance whether 'just' illegal or drug runner, etc., and Mexico is against military presence at the border, WTH? what is Mexico's deal with illegals being picked up and turned around, what would happen to us if we snuck into Mexico? wouldn't get a free ride home, that's for sure...They are herding this way because of the mess in Mexico, maybe he just doesn't want his people back, maybe thinking of the money train to Mexico via those people, I really don't understand what the US needs from Mexico to be kissing butt like this and give a rat's butt what they think...I wish someone would enlighten me. Why endanger 1200 more of our people if they are only assisting

[Huckleberry3911948]

good political move nothing else. the feds have no intention of stopping illegal immigration.
up to the states, john mccain for president vp john kavanaugh.
the pack of protestors care pooling to phoenix from here do not represent me or CA. more illegals wanting to suck our country dry. please ask them for ID when they get there.

[Rick Lee]

Originally Posted by Arizona Mike

On Wednesday, the Obama administration announced they're just there to keep guns from going down into Mexico

This is even worse. What guns are going down to Mexico? When are they going to finally publicize a seizure of guns linked to gun stores in AZ? How about never? It doesn't happen. No one spends several thousand dollars and a six month wait on the paperwork for a class III weapon in the US, only to ship it to Mexico. Does not happen. Sure, plenty of the guns in Mexico were manufactured in the US.....and sold through official channels to Mexican police and military agencies. The guns that are used in these mass killings in Mexico were sold by or stolen from corrupt Mexican soldiers or cops. Rest assured, if they can ever link some guns in Mexico to a store in AZ, we'd never hear the end of it.

So again, what are these NG gonna do to help secure the border?

[teddyearp]

Why does Calderon not want us to stop illegal immigration?

La Reconquista.

Everything done in our country is done by 545 people. Each side blames the other for our ills, but at the end of the day, they are all on the same side, theirs, not ours.

Pretty simple if you ask me.

How do we fix it? I don't know. Vote in another 545 people who might prove to be the same as the former 545? Maybe, who knows.

[maverick974]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

So again, what are these NG gonna do to help secure the border?

Ummm, not much except to put themselves in harms way. I find it hard to believe that anyone would put fellow countrymen in harms way, not allow them to defend themselves, all in the name of political gain.
Something else to think about is if these people coming from south of the border are so good, why is that area so dangerous in the first place? If it were good, honest people coming across the border simply wanting to better their lives, there wouldn't be a problem now would there be???????
We don't get the scientists, teachers, engineers, business opportunists from mexico. For the most part, mixed in with many of those crossing the border are rapists, murderers, drug dealers, gang lords, robbers, thieves and human trafficers. Not really the type of people I want as neighbors. It's those people that we need stop.
I feel badly for those Guardsmen that are asked to do a job and not given the tools to do so.
Sooner or later, one of OUR boys are going to get killed. What price do we put on the American lives that have been, that are and that will be lost due to the illegal immigration problem?

[rich67]

I am the furthest person from a believer in Obama's politics, but I pulled this off MSNBC:
"Administration officials said the National Guard troops will work on intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance support, analysis and training, and support efforts to block drug trafficking. They will temporarily supplement Border Patrol agents until Customs and Border Protection can recruit and train additional officers and agents to serve on the border, according to a letter Tuesday from top administration security officials to Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin, D-Mich."
"Obama will also request $500 million for border protection and law enforcement activities, according to lawmakers and administration officials."

Just for the sake of argument, what other politician has done this lately? I mean, you can cry and whine about how it's "pointless", and it's "political posturing", or whatever else you percieve it to be. But in reality, it's at least something beneficial. Extra $500 million for border protection I am sure is nice to hear for the Border Patrol personnel, don't you think?
Where is the info on how it's "just for guns"? I have searched and see nothing about that.
Here's the problem...people cry and whine about wanting something done, and then when something IS done, they cry and whine that it's not enough.

[Rick Lee]

In other words, they'll be driving desks and manning the phones.

The border problem is not one for a lack of money nor manpower nor technology nor competence of the BP. It's purely a matter of political will. So long as there are zero consequences for crossing the border illegally, we continue to reward anchor babies with citizenship, continue to educate kids of illegals, give them free health care and basically welcome them for breaking our laws and overwhelming our gov't. services, the problem will not go away. Take away the incentive to come here and they'll stop coming. Right now we dangle all the carrots to entice them to come.....just as long as they can make it past a few very small and non-threatening sticks.

[maverick974]

Originally Posted by rich67

I am the furthest person from a believer in Obama's politics, but I pulled this off MSNBC:
"Administration officials said the National Guard troops will work on intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance support, analysis and training, and support efforts to block drug trafficking. They will temporarily supplement Border Patrol agents until Customs and Border Protection can recruit and train additional officers and agents to serve on the border, according to a letter Tuesday from top administration security officials to Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin, D-Mich."
"Obama will also request $500 million for border protection and law enforcement activities, according to lawmakers and administration officials."

Just for the sake of argument, what other politician has done this lately? I mean, you can cry and whine about how it's "pointless", and it's "political posturing", or whatever else you percieve it to be. But in reality, it's at least something beneficial. Extra $500 million for border protection I am sure is nice to hear for the Border Patrol personnel, don't you think?
Where is the info on how it's "just for guns"? I have searched and see nothing about that.
Here's the problem...people cry and whine about wanting something done, and then when something IS done, they cry and whine that it's not enough.

Well, if I am one of those that you say are whining and crying, then so be it.
I have not seen that information that you have posted so if it's true, I applaud and support this move.
This issue is hotly debated and while I have no opinion, either positive or negative about Obama, I am passionate about this issue. Illegal is illegal. I grew up around a huge population of illegal aliens but I also have many friends of Mexican heritage that are here legally and they are wonderful people. Hard workers, taxpayers and they have great families. Even they are fed up with people (ANY PEOPLE) that come into our country illegally with no social consious. (hmm, that doesn't look like it's spelled correctly.)
Again, not an issue with Mexican Americans, it's a legal issue, it's a moral issue, a social issue, a responsibility issue and a HUGE financial issue so if adding border agents will help solve this problem I'm all for it.
I also agree that we need legislation concerning people and businesses that hire illegal aliens for a few dollars extra profit. Business needs to follow the rules as well or have severe penalties against them as well as taking away all the perks for being here illegally. The welfare programs, subsidies, food stamps, education, etc,. Those are to help legal American citizens. Illegal aliens should have no access at all to that stuff.
I'm glad this was brought to national attention and the will of the people is finally heard.

[Magnum Mike]

Originally Posted by think first

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama will send 1,200 National Guard troops to boost security along the U.S.-Mexico border, officials said Tuesday, pre-empting Republican plans to try to force votes on such a deployment.

My Way News - Obama to send 1,200 troops to US-Mexico border

Never would have happened if not for SB1070.

What a joke, 1,200 National Guard troops? That would be like trying to put out a 100-acre forest fire with one little fire extinguisher.

Like others mentioned here, it's nothing more than a ploy to make us think he's doing his job to secure the border, and he's not, and the meager 1,200 National Guard troops is waste of military resources that won't accomplish anything.