Posted by
Rocky Mountain Foundation on Sunday, March 28, 2010 7:08:28 PM
Tancredo calls for Napolitano to send National Guard to Border
after Murder of Cochise County Rancher
Douglas, AZ --- After the brutal murder this weekend of a rancher near the Arizona-Mexico border, former Congressman Tom Tancredo today called on Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano to "reject politics and do the right thing ¾ send the National Guard to the border."
Tancredo was visiting the area when the murder occurred. He spoke Saturday afternoon at a Tea Party rally in Sonoita, Arizona, and met on Sunday with a group of local ranchers concerned about deteriorating conditions on the border.
"As Governor of Arizona, Napolitano deployed the National Guard to help the Border Patrol do its job. Yesterday's murder of rancher Rob Krentz on his own land 25 miles from the Mexican border makes it clear that that job remains unfinished," said Tancredo.
"Three days ago, Napolitatno told an audience at Arizona State University that the border is more secure than ever," said Tancredo. "I challenge her ¾ no I dare her ¾ to come to this community and try to sell that lie. The residents here know better."
Tancredo pointed out that Obama has halted the construction of new border fencing and halted the increase in Border Patrol manpower begun under Bush.
"Now that Obama and Napolitano are talking openly of pushing a new amnesty program, the border invasion has resumed. Mexicans and residents in Guatemala and Honduras read those stories," Tancredo said. "If Congress takes up an amnesty bill, the flood across the border will be unstoppable."
Border Patrol spokesmen have confirmed that over the past three months, apprehensions on the Arizona border have jumped over 25% from the same period a year ago after a decline the previous year. The Tucson Sector of the Border Patrol has also confirmed that over 20% of all persons apprehended have prior criminal records in the U.S. The criminal backgrounds of individuals in their country of origin are unknown.