Napolitano declares border emergency

Associated Press
Aug. 15, 2005 05:57 PM

Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano declared an emergency Monday in four border counties because of problems related to lax border enforcement and moved to provide local governments in those counties with up to $1.5 million in state funding.

Napolitano's order directly released $200,000 from the state's emergency fund for disasters while her emergency council released an additional $1.3 million, spokeswoman Jeanine L'Ecuyer said.

The money is intended for use by counties and municipalities for a variety of purposes, including overtime pay for law enforcement officers, repairs of border fences, costs related to illegal immigrants' deaths, L'Ecuyer said.

Napolitano's action followed by three days a similar declaration by New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson.

Arizona is the nation's busiest entry point for illegal border-crossings, and illegal immigration has emerged as a significant political issue.

Crimes and other problems associated with the border include illegal immigration, vehicle thefts, drug smuggling and property damage.

"All of this, bottom line every last bit of this, is a federal responsibility but the federal government has not done what it needs to do and has promised to do," said L'Ecuyer,

She added that the actual damage and the level of frustration compelled Napolitano to act.

The four counties - Cochise, Pima, Santa Cruz and Yuma - and local governments in those counties now will apply to the state Division of Emergency Management for money.

Some already have approached the state with requests and decisions on funding could be made within four to six weeks, L'Ecuyer said.

"Some of them already have a good idea in writing of what they need," L'Ecuyer said, citing the city of Nogales' desire for overtime pay for police patrols near the border and a similar requested by Santa Cruz County for overtime pay for deputies as well as money for crime scene kits, night-vision goggles, riot gear and radios.

Richardson's declaration Friday covered four New Mexico counties along the border and let him free up money to help law enforcement, to pay for a state Office of Homeland Security field office, to fence a Columbus-area livestock yard where cattle have been killed or stolen and other similar efforts.

The executive order made $750,000 immediately available to Dona Ana, Luna, Grant and Hidalgo counties, and Richardson pledged an additional $1 million.

Napolitano and Richardson are both Democrats.

In a related development, U.S. Rep. Jeff Flake said Richardson's declaration indicates the need for Congress to act on immigration legislation.

"As Arizonans well know, the federal government's inability to control the border has been a crisis for some time," Flake, R-Ariz., said Monday.

Napolitano also has accused the federal government of repeatedly failing to act on illegal immigration, particularly on reimbursement of state and local government costs for apprehending, prosecuting and imprisoning illegal immigrants who commit crimes in Arizona.

In July, Napolitano had the state Department of Public Safety convene a closed-door meeting of law enforcement officials to explore ways to lessen immigration problems in Arizona. Those talks included discussions of a pilot project being launched by the state to have a dozen DPS officers trained to assist local police and federal agents in immigration cases.

Napolitano drew criticism earlier this year for vetoing a proposal to give state and local police authority to enforce federal immigration law. She said the bill didn't provide any money to carry out the duties.



Edited for board code, broken advertisement link

Good Deal! at least someone is getting serious about Mojados

This is getting interesting....

Its a good start. But we won't be happy until the NG is on the border 24/7/365.

Quoted: Those silly racists!

Damn straight!

Why don't all those illegal border jumpers stay in Canada where they belong!

I agree,  National Guard should be National guarding.

Democrats seem to be getting a clue.  I wonder what the MoveOn.org types and the PC police will say about this new tack for the liberalosos.

I don't believe it.

The pols are actually starting to figure out that John Q. Public IS SERIOUSLY PISSED OFF ABOUT THIS SHIT and are taking some steps in the right direction.



Now, if only GWB wakes the fuck up and realizes that NOT doing something at the Federal level is going to cost the Republicans big time...

Quoted: Its a good start. But we won't be happy until the NG is on the border 24/7/365.

Unfortunately I don't think that would work. While the NG is nominally under control of the Governor, all it takes is federalization of those troops to make that all go bye-bye.

I don't think it's too far of a stretch to say that if the Governor did have the sack put the NG on the border and started causing too much of a ruckus (read: being effective) then the federal government would simply federalize the NG for some reason and solve the problem that way.

Come on Gov. Perry, TX needs to jump in on this

Quoted: Come on Gov. Perry, TX needs to jump in on this

A Bush appointee securing the border? Hah, funny.

Get some.

Quoted: Unfortunately I don't think that would work. While the NG is nominally under control of the Governor, all it takes is federalization of those troops to make that all go bye-bye. I don't think it's too far of a stretch to say that if the Governor did have the sack put the NG on the border and started causing too much of a ruckus (read: being effective) then the federal government would simply federalize the NG for some reason and solve the problem that way.

If the Feds actually did that, they'd be flat-out admitting that they want the illegals here, and I'm not sure they're willing to go that far.  But even if they did, the Governor should immediately dispatch the state police to take their place and stick that thumb right in Washington's eye.

And because of manpower issues, I'd also organize a Minuteman-like civilian volunteer group to help watch the border and report activity to the state, but that's me.

Quoted: Come on Gov. Perry, TX needs to jump in on this

Calling "The Terminator", paging Mr. Arnold Swartznegger to the capitol building..................

This is a PR tactic to show the Dems can be tougher on the border than GWB. Looks like it is true as well. If Richardson backs it up watch out for him in 2008. This is gonna be an important topic in the coming elections. AG Gonzales will come out in favor of disarming the state police next to protect the "besides being here illegally they are law abiding citizens" group.

Quoted: Those silly racists!

I'm waiting to see how long it takes for some quack to demand the county names be changed from Indian, whoops, Native American names to more tolerant names, following the NCAA's lead.

I sure wish Texas would follow NM and AZ's lead.  Just look at the drug  and police corruption  crises the border with the turmoil in Nuevo Laredo.  This on top of the immigration problem.

   This is all smoke screen to get re-elected. She is only playing the game. Just six months ago she called the Minutemen, vigalantics. She's just trying to get more exposure. Like her picture on the tourist billboards, put up recently in Arizona with tax payer's money. Sherrif Joe plays the same game too. Welcome to American polotics.

All the Feds need to do is pass a law that any company that hires an illegal gets a $5000 fine and has to pay transportation coosts to send the aliens back to their home country.

If this nation was serious, that is what they would do.

Quoted:    This is all smoke screen to get re-elected. She is only playing the game. Just six months ago she called the Minutemen, vigalantics. She's just trying to get more exposure. Like her picture on the tourist billboards, put up recently in Arizona with tax payer's money. Sherrif Joe plays the same game too. Welcome to American polotics.

One would hope that's not the case... but then again, I'm sure she wouldn't be in office in the first place if she campaigned on her real beliefs.

Quoted: All the Feds need to do is pass a law that any company that hires an illegal gets a $5000 fine and has to pay transportation coosts to send the aliens back to their home country. If this nation was serious, that is what they would do.

you don't think there isn't already a law like this?

there are many.

C'mon Tejas, RPG fights?!, this should of happened a long time ago...

Come on Gov. Perry, TX needs to jump in on this

+1; it may be too late down here in Texas...MS-13 is already wanting to kill all of us LEOs.

Looks like GWB will be summoned to Vicente Fox's mansion to do some splainin....and ass kissin.

Quoted: Quoted:    This is all smoke screen to get re-elected. She is only playing the game. Just six months ago she called the Minutemen, vigalantics. She's just trying to get more exposure. Like her picture on the tourist billboards, put up recently in Arizona with tax payer's money. Sherrif Joe plays the same game too. Welcome to American polotics. One would hope that's not the case... but then again, I'm sure she wouldn't be in office in the first place if she campaigned on her real beliefs.

Carbin10 is correct. We'll just have to wait and see what she does with the funds.   Janet was also apposed to Prop 200 because apparently proving citizenship before being allowed to vote was paramont to racism and disenfranchisment of minority voters.

It appears as though the Dems have latched on to a plan that they think will pull some votes their way.

Where is 22bad ?

Gov. Perry needs to do the same thing-pronto.

Maybe GW will get serious about the problem....

HH

FCC rules say that in an emergency one may operate a ham radio license or not.
I know what I will be using for comms during the next Minuteman event.

Quoted: Its a good start. But we won't be happy until the NG is on the border 24/7/365.

No Way !!  
Our President (who I otherwise think is great) Wants those illegals coming over in droves because he:
1) Loves them
2) Wants big business to have a source of cheap labor and to keep salaries down overall
3) Both 1 and 2

Congress is equally guilty of this

OT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Quoted: Quoted: Its a good start. But we won't be happy until the NG is on the border 24/7/365. No Way !!   Our President (who I otherwise think is great) Wants those illegals coming over in droves because he: 1) Loves them 2) Wants big business to have a source of cheap labor and to keep salaries down overall 3) Both 1 and 2 Congress is equally guilty of this

We the People have something to say bout that.

Quoted: Quoted:    This is all smoke screen to get re-elected. She is only playing the game. Just six months ago she called the Minutemen, vigalantics. She's just trying to get more exposure. Like her picture on the tourist billboards, put up recently in Arizona with tax payer's money. Sherrif Joe plays the same game too. Welcome to American polotics. One would hope that's not the case... but then again, I'm sure she he wouldn't be in office in the first place if she he campaigned on her his real beliefs.

fixed those  gender errors for ya.

Quoted: Quoted: Unfortunately I don't think that would work. While the NG is nominally under control of the Governor, all it takes is federalization of those troops to make that all go bye-bye. I don't think it's too far of a stretch to say that if the Governor did have the sack put the NG on the border and started causing too much of a ruckus (read: being effective) then the federal government would simply federalize the NG for some reason and solve the problem that way. If the Feds actually did that, they'd be flat-out admitting that they want the illegals here, and I'm not sure they're willing to go that far.  But even if they did, the Governor should immediately dispatch the state police to take their place and stick that thumb right in Washington's eye. And because of manpower issues, I'd also organize a Minuteman-like civilian volunteer group to help watch the border and report activity to the state, but that's me.

Know the law, gentlemen, the governor can REFUSE to allow the Guard to be Federally activated if they are already performing missions at the State level.  If she has the cojones to activate them at all, she can keep them there.  Now if we had only not moved from AZ I would be in the AZNG right now . . .

Quoted: the Governor should immediately dispatch the state police to take their place and stick that thumb right in Washington's eye. And because of manpower issues, I'd also organize a Minuteman-like civilian volunteer group to help watch the border and report activity to the state, but that's me.

Maybe another answer is for border states to form their own state-sponsored militia, like the Tennessee State Guard. I don't care what the left says; the National Guard is not a people's militia.

It can be organized somewhat similarly to the National Guard, but streamlined for domestic preparedness/security/emergency response ops with all the chaff cut away, and funded completely by the state. Big $$$ though.

I honestly believe that the only way the border is ever going to be secure is if the citizens organize a militia and patrol the border themselves.  The Federal Govt. has turned a blind eye to the problem to the south.  They know about it but they choose to do nothing.  I don't understand why people think this is a new problem.  The Govt.'s action towards the problem should indicate to all of us that they WANT us to guard the border.  Lets get organized.

All this does is give money to the county jails and hospitals in these 4 counties.  Nothing else.  Move along.  Nothing to see here. Illegal immigration will continue as normal.

Quoted:    This is all smoke screen to get re-elected. She is only playing the game. Just six months ago she called the Minutemen, vigalantics. She's just trying to get more exposure. Like her picture on the tourist billboards, put up recently in Arizona with tax payer's money. Sherrif Joe plays the same game too. Welcome to American polotics.

+1   Dems want the illegals because one day they might vote.  Repubs want illegals so that they have plenty of cheap labor.

I'm waiting for the witch of NY to make her political statement =  I bet she 'talks tough in Texas' but speaks of having  'compassion and profound feelings for those illegals just trying to better themselves."  and if she is elected she will help secure the boarder while at the same time providing compassion and opportunity for those fine folks already here.  Pass out the voter registration cards - in spanish please.  

Can I puke now?