National Guard troops will be staying along the border, at least for a little while longer.
Matt Chandler, spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security, said Thursday that soldiers will remain in place through at least the end of the year. The previous plan was to have them all gone by the end of the month.
Chandler said, though, this should not be viewed as a permanent situation but instead as a stop-gap until new Border Patrol officers can be in place.
"The Department of Homeland Security is actively training new personnel and implemented new technology to enhance our border security architecture," Chandler said. He said the soldiers are "a critical bridge while the administration brings new assets online."
For Arizona, that currently means 500 soldiers who are part of what is known as Operation Copper Cactus.
Many of the Arizona soldiers are part of entry identification teams, set up at locations along the border to monitor for unusual activity. Some also help watch monitors connected to television cameras on towers in the area.
But Arizona Guard officials stress that the soldiers are only in a support role, reporting what they see to Border Patrol and other agencies.
Gov. Jan Brewer, a frequent critic of the Obama administration's border policies, said she was "absolutely gratified that they have listened to our lead here in the state of Arizona." Brewer has supported legislation to give the state a greater role in border security, ranging from last year's SB 1070 to give police more power to detain and arrest illegal immigrants to this year's law allowing the state to start soliciting contributions to build its own border fence.
But Brewer said she is not impressed that the administration is extending the deployment for only another three months.
"The fact of the matter is, it's probably not enough time," she said. "We want our border secured."
This is actually the second extension of the program to put 1,200 soldiers along the border.
The original one-year deployment was scheduled to end by July 1. But that was stretched out to the end of September when the Department of Defense managed to find the cash to keep the program going.
Chandler said the cash for the next three months is coming from the same source. Estimates are it costs about $35 million for that period of time.
The lion's share of that 1,200-soldier allotment is in Arizona, which was authorized up to 560 soldiers. The actual number now along the border is slightly below that, what with normal rotation of soldiers and training schedules.
Thursday's announcement could take some political heat off the president who has increasingly been on the defensive about security despite the administration's repeated claims that the border is "more secure than ever."
Chandler repeated that theme Thursday, saying there is "already unprecedented border security and management" and an "unprecedented array of resources deployed at the Southwest border."
But none of this is likely to satisfy the state's two Republican senators.
John McCain and Jon Kyl started calling on the president for a year to put 3,000 soldiers along the Southwest border. By this past April, their demand had doubled, to 6,000, with half of those in Arizona alone.
asuaguila posted at 5:39 pm on Thu, Sep 8, 2011.
Great more borrowed money to accomplish nothing. Where is that wall with all of that private money that was promised?
Slabside posted at 11:33 pm on Thu, Sep 8, 2011.
"Matt Chandler, spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security, said Thursday that soldiers will remain in place through at least the end of the year."
Of course they will... Obama is in and has been in campaign mode. That is why he backed off of the EPA restrictions as well.
NothingButTheTruth posted at 10:52 am on Sat, Sep 10, 2011.
You got that right Slabside. Everything this bozo does from now until the election is about keeping his job. Besides, it not like the guard is doing anything to slow down illegal immigration. They don't carry weapons and sit around drinking coffee just like they do back at their base.
NothingButTheTruth posted at 8:43 am on Wed, Sep 14, 2011.
"Great more borrowed money to accomplish nothing." asuaguila, it costs the taxpayers very little extra money to keep the guard sitting around at border offices than it does at their base. Besides, spending America to death is what Obozo does best, so why question your fearless leader? Oh, did you think Arizona was paying for the guards deployment? lol
NothingButTheTruth posted at 10:10 am on Thu, Sep 15, 2011.
The lack of a comprehensive security strategy for the U.S.-Mexico border hampers the ability of the Department of Defense to make the best use of guardsmen assigned to help the Border Patrol, a federal report says.
The GAO report says:
National Guard on the Border
According to DOD officials, due to a shooting incident in 1997 in Redford, Texas, the SECDEF determined that military personnel will not conduct mobile patrols (e.g., they must remain stationary) and cannot carry loaded weapons. [...]
Force protection is provided for active duty military services in Title 10 status by Border Patrol because these forces do not carry loaded weapons at the border.
Predator Drones
Limited access to national airspace given inherent challenges with the UAS's ability to detect, sense, and avoid an aircraft.
Limited sensor coverage (e.g. "soda straw" view), according to DOD officials.
Less effective than manned aircraft in supporting apprehension of undocumented aliens, according to a 2005 DHS Inspector General Report.
Red DotComment: The National Guard sits in the open with no special surveillance equipment. They cannot move. They are protected by the U.S. Border Patrol. They make no after-action reports - CBP does - and who trusts their reports?
The Predator drones are restricted as to where they can fly and how high (above 19,000 feet) – making them almost useless.