House told criminals swelling alien tide

Crossposted from Morning Coffee:

From the Washington Times

Most of the people who sneak across the border are no longer good people in search of honest work, the sheriff of a border county in Texas told a House subcommittee yesterday, but rather criminals who belong to gangs and drug cartels.
"For years we have seen individuals enter the country illegally," said Sigifredo Gonzalez Jr., sheriff of Zapata County. "However, recently we feel that many of these persons are no longer entering the country to look for legitimate employment. We are now seeing that many of these persons are members of ruthless and violent gangs."
Sheriff Gonzalez's testimony before the House International Relations subcommittee was part of a series of "field hearings" held across the country to gauge voter opinion on reforming the nation's immigration laws. Yesterday's hearing was held in Laredo, in Zapata County.
"Some areas can accurately be described as a war zone," panel Chairman Ed Royce, California Republican, told The Washington Times after touring the border near Laredo.
Sheriff Gonzalez told members of the subcommittee that the number of illegal aliens from places other than Mexico -- including countries on terrorist watch lists -- caught crossing the border has more than quintupled in the past four years. Increasingly, he said, they try blending in to look like Mexicans crossing the border in search of honest work.

This clearly illustrates that the illegal immigration issue is not just a matter of workers from other countries doing jobs Americans won't do, but as the Sheriff points out, a growing number of those crossing the border are not doing it to get jobs. Many of those who favor the Senate version of the "Comprehensive Shamnesty Bill" feel that these "hearings" are nothing but politics.

Rep. Silvestre Reyes, Texas Democrat, said the hearings were about politics, not policy. "Congress needs to get back to work in Washington to reach a compromise agreement on comprehensive border security and immigration reform legislation," Mr. Reyes said.

Congressman Reyes needs to understand this is not a Political issue but a National Security Issue. If these hearings allow congress to better inform themselves of the necessity for and the emphasis needed on border security then these hearings is where they need to be. There are several issues that should always be above politics, and National Security is at the top of that list. Politicians on both sides of the aisle need to put the politics aside and commit themselves to securing our borders.

Other CAII Posts today;

Uncooperative Blogger with Mexico works to bar Non-Natives from Jobs

Red Hot Cuppa Politics with Typical "Praise" From the Clinton Kahuna …

Take Back Georgia with The Reality of Reconquista

**This was a production of The Coalition Against Illegal Immigration (CAII). If you would like to participate, please go to the above link to learn more. Afterwards, email the coalition and let me know at what level you would like to participate.

Technorati Tags: Coalition Against Illegal Immigration, Amnesty, Politics, Congress, US, Mexico,