Illegal Immigration

I believe that the United States should have a strong national defense, but in order to provide for national security, we must first secure our borders.  Article IV, Section IV of the United States Constitution indicates it is the duty of the federal government to protect the states from invasion. 

The federal government has a duty to secure not only the southern border, but the northern border and all ports of entry on the east and west coast.  It is the duty of the federal government to protect the states from the trafficking of drugs and cash, human smuggling and violent crime associated with the illegal crossing of our national borders.

We must take seriously the issue of border security; it costs the state of Arizona approximately $1.3 billion annually and over $300 billion nationwide. Our southern border remains a bastion for the Mexican drug cartels and other illegal activity. It is time to act now. This is why I've developed a comprehensive, 7-Point Border Security Plan:

  1. There must be an immediate doubling of Border Patrol agents and the hiring of much needed support staff. Hiring support staff can allow the agents to be in the field to better utilize their training.
  2. The southern border must be secured with physical barriers in areas of high traffic, in an effort to channel illegal immigrants to areas where border patrol agents can apprehend individuals crossing illegally.
  3. The use of two fence lines is essential; these should be constructed fifty feet apart. This would provide better opportunity for border agents to apprehend illegal crossers between the fence lines and before they enter American soil. Currently, the fence is not a deterrent for crossing.
  4. In more remote areas of the border, the use of electronic listening devices and cameras should be utilized in concert with outposts for border patrol agents, where agents will be dispatched to areas where illegal crossings have been detected. It is not a question of technology, but of the manpower required to utilize what we have at our disposal.
  5. Cooperation of the National Guard needs to be employed. Surveillance by National Guard members should be utilized, with and helicopters deployed to provide aerial identification of illegal immigrants and aid in directing the border patrol agents on the ground to individuals crossing the border illegally.
  6. The use of trained K-9 units should be deployed in difficult terrain areas along the border. Properly utilized, with added manpower, these units are very effective in areas where cameras have difficulty.
  7. Mobile Surveillance Systems should be placed every 20 miles along the fence line. These units are very effective for detecting crossings and directing agents to groups crossing our border illegally.