Boston Globe: Putting Guard on border debated

[Eugene]

Putting Guard on border debated

Skepticism voiced on role of troops

By Diedtra Henderson, Globe Staff | May 15, 2006

WASHINGTON -- A White House decision to tap thousands of National Guard troops
to curb illegal immigration got a tepid response on Capitol Hill and has mixed
support among governors whose states border Mexico.

President Bush's Oval Office address tonight will include a plan to disperse
more Guard troops along the porous Mexican border as a stopgap until the Border
Patrol can handle the task, White House officials said.

<snip>

But Hagel, sponsor of compromise immigration legislation that the Senate is scheduled
to discuss this week, expressed skepticism. About 75 percent of the National Guard's
equipment is in Iraq, and some Guard troops have already endured up to four tours
of duty in that war zone, Hagel said.

<snip>

(Sen. Lahey)
"We asked them two years ago, why don't you fund the Border Patrol positions that the
Congress has provided? You know what we got from Homeland Security for an answer? Nothing.
Nothing at all," Leahy said.

<snip>

Full article: http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2006/05/15/putting_guard_on_border_debated
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