Position of 9,000 Border Patrol Agents
Not to belie the fact, but I think all points of this story should be archived. Here is the position of the 9,000 Citizens who work on the Mexican-American border. Note that while the Government has been very good at gaining access to American citizen credit and financial information, at taking camera photos of us through our clothes at airports, it has done virtually nothing to affect the illegal and un-monitored entry of Aliens into our Country. Feel free to comment or e-mail: wahkonta@graffiti.net
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Border council calls Bush plan 'slap in the face'
By Jerry Seper
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Published January 12, 2004
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The National Border Patrol Council, which represents all 9,000 of the Border Patrol´s nonsupervisory agents, has told its members to challenge President Bush´s proposed guest-worker program, calling it a "slap in the face to anyone who has ever tried to enforce the immigration laws of the United States."
The agents are told in a letter from Vice President John Frecker that the proposal offered last week during a White House press conference "implies that the country really wasn´t serious about" immigration enforcement in the first place.
"Hey, you know all those illegal aliens you risked 'life and limb´ to apprehend? FAH-GED-ABOWD-IT," said Mr. Frecker, a veteran Border Patrol agent. "President Bush has solved the problem. Don´t be confused and call this an 'amnesty,´ even though those who are here illegally will suddenly become legal and will be allowed to stay here.
"The president assures us that it´s not an amnesty," he said.
On Wednesday, Mr. Bush proposed sweeping immigration changes that would allow the 8 million to 12 million illegal aliens thought to be in the United States to remain in the country if they have a job and apply for a guest-worker card.
The immigrants could stay for renewable three-year periods, after which they could apply for permanent legal residence.
Mr. Frecker told the agents that the Bush proposal, if approved, would result in increased illegal immigration at the nation´s borders.
"While you´re out there trying to do your jobs, which the country isn´t too serious about, you´ll have to deal with the expected increase in attempted (illegal aliens), who are trying to get here to take advantage of the proposed amnesty oops, earned legality," Mr. Frecker said.
"Those who are waiting to sneak in will be allowed to come as 'temporary (yeah, right) guest workers,´" he said. "Well, first they need to find a willing employer who´ll offer them a job at minimum wages after he claims he just can´t find a legal worker to take the job. Then the poor employer is just going to have to go outside the U.S. to find his workers. Those darn Americans just don´t want to work."
The letter urges the members to call the White House and let the president know what they think.
"While you´re at it, call your senators and congressmen. Or write. Or FAX. Or email. Or all of the above. It only takes a few minutes and it really does matter," he said. "I think they´ll listen a little closer to a Border Patrol employee who says that this is demoralizing or whatever you want to call it."
Mr. Frecker told The Washington Times that the Bush guest-worker proposal was "insulting," saying it diminished efforts by agents at the nation´s borders who risk their lives every day to stop illegal immigration.
"The border is, maybe, 10 percent more secure than it was prior to September 11, but it is still out of control," he said. "Before we do anything else, we need to make sure the border is secure, that illegal aliens in the country are being apprehended and that employer sanctions are being enforced."
He also questioned the ability of an overburdened immigration enforcement system to handle the millions of guest-worker and residency applications, noting that only 2,000 immigration inspectors are available to review the applications.
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