Lawmakers consider using military to seal U.S. borders

[The Straight Story]

Lawmakers consider using military to seal U.S. borders
By Chris Strohm
[e-mail]

After demonstrating in Arizona that a presence of people along the border can curb illegal immigration, border-control proponents came to Washington to try to win over the minds - and money - of the federal government.

On Wednesday, supporters of tighter border controls presented lawmakers with their ideas, which include deploying the military to the borders, authorizing $12 billion in emergency funding, and merging two Homeland Security Department bureaus.


The two main organizers of a group in Arizona that set up citizen camps to stop illegal immigration during April met with members of the Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus.


"The time for hand-wringing, the time for worrying about hurting people's feelings, is long past," said Chris Simcox, one of the organizers, during a press conference in Washington. "Will it take the blood of an American citizen being spilled on that border, perhaps an 80-year-old great-grandmother sitting in a lawn chair, to get the attention of the president? We hope not."

http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0405/042805c1.htm

[Atman]

1. Isn't it against the law to use our troops this way?

Oh, wait..."LAW"...BushCo doesn't bother with laws.

[loveable liberal]

2. to keep people out, or keep us in? n/t

[ComerPerro]

3. Yeah, because we have so many troops available now

[Zynx]

4. No troops at home, and violates posse comitatus

Not gonna happen.

[opihimoimoi]

5. ANOTHER 12 to 20 $$$$ BILLION??? Gasp....

[ozymandius]

6. for those who want to know about the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 -

June 18, 1878

CHAP. 263 - An act making appropriations for the support of the Army for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, eighteen hundred and seventy-nine, and for other purposes.

SEC. 15. From and after the passage of this act it shall not be lawful to employ any part of the Army of the United States, as a posse comitatus, or otherwise, for the purpose of executing the laws, except in such cases and under such circumstances as such employment of said force may be expressly authorized by the Constitution or by act of Congress; and no money appropriated by this act shall be used to pay any of the expenses incurred in the employment of any troops in violation of this section And any person willfully violating the provisions of this section shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction thereof shall be punished by fine not exceeding ten thousand dollars or imprisonment not exceeding two years or by both such fine and imprisonment.

more...

http://www.dojgov.net/posse_comitatus_act.htm

[Nikki Stone 1]

7. This is a small piece. Immigration is being used to erode civil liberties

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=1753066#