“Border Security First” Advocates Block Real Immigration Reform

[JeffreyS]

In addition, the DHS has already met or surpassed the benchmarks border first proponents outlined in a failed 2007 bill that called for certain enforcement levels to be satisfied before continuing with immigration reform. We now spend $17 billion a year on border enforcement, compared to approximately $12 billion in 2007. The number of Border Patrol agents has increased tremendously and is augmented by 1,200 National Guard troops the president has deployed. The 2007 legislation called for 20,000 border patrol agents. Now there are 21,370 Border Patrol agents and more than 20,600 Customs officers stationed at ports of entry. Technology and the construction of physical barriers have fortified our borders, and identification tools for workplace enforcement have strengthened them.

http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2011/04/border_first.html

[BridgeTroll]

I have to give the author of the article credit.  At least he confirmed that the immigration system is broken.  This is one step beyond what has been managed so far here on MJ...

[JeffreyS]

I thought the article nailed it.  We have made significant progress on the border.  As such we need to broaden the scope of our reform.