Lawmaker: Obama to send 1,200 troops to border [View All]

[grantcart]

Source: Associated Press

PHOENIX -- The Obama administration plans to announce Tuesday that it will send as many as 1,200 National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border to improve border security, an Arizona congresswoman said.

Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords also said in a statement released Tuesday that President Barack Obama will request $500 million in funding for border security.

Part of Giffords' district borders Mexico.

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer's spokesman said the governor hadn't been told of the move prior to her office being contacted by The Associated Press and had no immediate comment

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/25/AR2010052503227.html?hpid=topnews

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Sending National Guard troops to the border has no operational benefit at all.

The troops are parked in the surrounding areas and are generally confined to tents.

National Guard troops are not trained, and most would not have the language skills necessary for, confronting and detaining undocumented migrants.

The article goes on to admit as much:

In 2006, President George W. Bush sent thousands of troops to the border to perform support duties that tie up immigration agents. The troops wouldn't perform significant law enforcement duties.

It is a public relations manouver and, if true, doesn't reflect well on the administration.