A Look at our Southern Border
“Unprecedented Surge of Violence”
Today’s Washington Times reports on “an unprecedented surge” of violence by ruthless gangs targeting U.S. personnel with high-powered weaponry. Unbelievably, the report isn’t about the Sunni triangle in Iraq or Shiite militias in Sadr City, but our own southern border!
According to the Times, local, state and federal law enforcement officials are increasingly “outmanned and outgunned” by Mexican and Latin American gangs, such as MS-13, that are smuggling drugs and illegal aliens across our border.
Just consider this weapons cache seized last month by Immigration and Customs Enforcement during a raid in Laredo, Texas: “two completed improvised explosive devices, materials for making 33 more, 300 primers, 1, 280 rounds of ammunition, five grenades, nine pipes with end caps, 26 grenade triggers, 31 grenade spoons, 40 grenade pins, 19 black powder casings, a silencer." If drug cartels and gangs can bring these kinds of weapons into our country, we must reasonably conclude that terrorists can do the same or worse.
As you know, Congress is once again working on the issue of comprehensive immigration reform. Unfortunately, there are indications that the most critical aspect of any “comprehensive” plan – border security – will be overlooked. That is simply unacceptable in the post- September 11th world in which we now live. I promise you that in every meeting on Capitol Hill, we will continue to raise this urgent national security priority.
(Gary Bauer; End-of-Day; 3/9/07)
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