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- From: senator_bingaman@bingaman.senate.gov
- Date: Mon, 6
Mar 2006 09:38:56 -0500
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- Dear Dr. Wedum:
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- Thank you for
contacting me regarding illegal immigration and current
immigration reform proposals before the Senate. I
appreciate your sharing your views with me on this
important issue.
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- I
do not support measures that would encourage or reward
illegal immigration, and I do not condone the actions of
those people who circumvent the established process for
legal immigration to our country. As you may know, Senate
Majority Leader Bill Frist has stated he intends to take
up immigration reform at the beginning of this year, and
I look forward to working with my colleagues to find a
solution to this growing problem. I believe the first
step in curtailing illegal immigration is the securing of
our borders. We have approximately 180 miles of largely
unprotected border in New Mexico , and ensuring border
security depends on implementing a forward thinking
strategy that anticipates future threats and allocates
sufficient resources. Unfortunately, I believe we are now
experiencing the consequences of being reactive rather
than proactive in our approach to maintaining security.
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- During
my time in the Senate, I have advocated a comprehensive
approach to maintaining security. To this end, I have
consistently sought to secure funding for additional
Border Patrol agents, surveillance cameras, and vehicle
barriers in an effort to stem the flow of illegal
immigrants and drugs and to prevent against potential
terrorist activity. I have also supported the limited
deployment of National Guard troops to the border to
assist Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents in
support roles. Despite the fact that Congress authorized
the hiring of additional 2,000 Border Patrol agents each
year, the Administration only requested 210 agents in its
budget request last year. Because I believed this
number was clearly insufficient to meet our security
needs, I cosponsored an amendment to immediately hire an
additional 500 agents. The amendment passed and the
agents are now completing training at the U.S. Border
Patrol Academy in Artesia , New Mexico . This year,
New Mexico will receive over 250 additional Border Patrol
agents. I am also pleased to report that Congress
allocated $3 million last year that I requested to help
complete the installation of vehicle barriers along the
U.S.-Mexico border. In addition, over the last two years,
I have secured $3.8 million for National Guard operations
along the border.
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- I
am also proud to have helped establish the Southwest New
Mexico Border Security Task Force, which brought together
members of local communities, federal agencies, and law
enforcement, to discuss concrete ways that we can improve
our security. The Task Force issued a series of
recommendations in October 2003 and I will continue to do
all I can to implement them. For example, after the
Border Security Task Force pointed out that due to the
lack of communication infrastructure in Southern New
Mexico, improved communications between ranchers and law
enforcement was needed, I helped assist in the
development of a new radio network along the border,
including 100 base stations, 100 mobile units, and about
50 handheld units for border ranchers. I believe the
radios will help improve communication between residents
and law enforcement, allowing ranchers to report illegal
ac! tivity and seek assistance in an emergency.
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- I
am pleased that additional resources are now being
deployed in New Mexico . However, we must face the
reality that although we are making some headway, we are
not doing enough. As you may know, Governor Richardson
has declared a State of Emergency due to the tremendous
expenses in dealing with the failure of the Federal
government to provide adequate security. I do not believe
that states should be forced to shoulder the burden of
the federal government's failure, and to this end, I have
introduced S. 1875, the Border Law Enforcement Relief Act
of 2005 . This bill is intended to help local law
enforcement situated along the border cover the costs
they incur as a result of dealing with illegal
immigration, drug trafficking, stolen vehicles, and other
border-related crimes.
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- I
will continue to look for ways to increase border
security, and your comments help me in that regard.
Again, thank you for writing. Please do not hesitate to
contact me further regarding this or any other matter of
importance to you and your community.
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- Sincerely,
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- JEFF
BINGAMAN
- United States
Senator
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