Obama Deploys Troops To Help Secure Mexican Border
May 31, 2010 by Personal Liberty News Desk
Facing mounting scrutiny over his lack of action regarding immigration reform, President Obama has ordered 1,200 National Guard troops to be deployed along the Mexican border, according to administration officials close to the matter.
Obama also plans on requesting $500 million from Congress to improve border protection and local law enforcement in the four states just north of Mexico.
An administration official told Fox News that the new troops and additional funds will be used to temporarily "provide intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance support" until the Border Patrol is adequately staffed.
While conservative lawmakers are pleased with the decision to bolster border security, many believe that the measure is not aggressive enough.
Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.), who proposed sending in at least 6,000 additional National Guard troops, said Obama’s proposal is "simply not enough" to control the violence in the area.
Meanwhile, Rick Nelson, a domestic security expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, told The New York Times that the additional deployment and funding will not make a significant impact.
"This is a symbolic gesture," he said. "At the end of the day, the face of border security is still going to be Customs and Border Protection, the law enforcement community. It’s not going to be the National Guard"





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