Borderline crisis: should we send troops TDY/TAD on US/Mexican border? What should be done to control illegal immigration?

2014-07-06T13:07:04-04:00

Part of strengthening our country is first from within. Current policies apparently do not hold up too well down there. If the illegals exploit the border now, next on the list to exploit is al Qaeda, ISIS, and others. I'm all for militarizing (or at least para-militarizing) our southern border until we can come up with better policies

Response by CMDCM Gene Treants made Jul 6 at 2014 1:36 PM

2014-07-06T13:36:40-04:00

Sorry to disagree PO1 Private RallyPoint Member but i do not see the job of the Armed Forces as patrolling our borders and repelling borders. We have a great Border Patrol that is overwhelmed at present with the influx of ILLEGAL immigrants. This is primarily due, IMHO, due to the administrations failure to address this issue.

If we want our Southern Border safe, it is time to allow our BP to really do their job and return ILLEGALS to their country, not hold and then have POTUS beat his chest in mock portrayal of this being a Republican failure to support yet another Amnesty Bill. Children or adults, all ILLEGAL immigrants need to be returned to their countries as soon as possible.

Response by MSG Floyd Williams made Jul 7 at 2014 12:52 AM

2014-07-07T00:52:18-04:00

My issue isn't with the Mexicans crossing the border, because when America was considered the new world everybody from different walks of life came here. I'm more concern about the terrorist coming here from overseas and the sleeper cells already here. The same ones brainwashing some Americans to join their ideology, and we are dumping millions of dollars or probably billions of dollars to other countries who hate the U.S.

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 7 at 2014 7:10 PM

2014-07-07T19:10:35-04:00

This would be a clear violation of federal law. It is one thing to think about sending the Armed Services down there to militarize it--even activating the National Guard is a bit grey. My concern is this. If, and god forbid that this would happen, but if a Service member shoots someone, what is their culpability in the situation. The Laws of Armed Conflict and the ROE still are foggy in some situations, but this I fear would really put them out on a limb.
It is the same reason that arming teachers and administrators is a dangerous idea. There is no clear legal standing for any of the above situation.

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made Jul 9 at 2014 10:13 PM

2014-07-09T22:13:46-04:00

I say no because DoD has bigger fish to fry. Let's see waiting until Jan 2017 until the new POTUS takes over is an option. Less than lethal mine fields? put them to work at local fast food joints for minimum wage - that gets people up in arms.

Response by LTC Paul Labrador made Jul 10 at 2014 10:14 AM

2014-07-10T10:14:14-04:00

Even though the NG does not really fall under Posse Commtatus, this is a law enforcement issue, not a military one. The military's primary job is to kill people and break things. Yes, we CAN, do other things (like security ops) we are not SMEs at it. We are not built nor trained to enforce the border as it is operated at the moment. Now, if you want to consider Mexico a hostile nation, we can treat it like a a wars zone, and turn the border into another DMZ. But if you do that, go big or go home: minefields, pre-plotted artillery, machine gun bunkers, and liberal shoot on sight ROE.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 16 at 2014 2:29 PM

2014-07-16T14:29:43-04:00

I say use the military and close the borders especially the southern border and stop all of the illegals from entering the country any of the ones that have already entered round each and everyone up along with their children even the ones that were born in this country to their illegal parents and send them back to whence they came. as for the children that are being sent here from other countries they need to be returned to their home country and that country needs to be charged for the transportation of the children and we need to stop trying to help everyone else till our own citizens and veterans are cared for there are too many homeless veterans and citizens in this country that need help first before we help anyother group of people especially anyone that is here illegally. The illegals have no rights here as they are here illegally anyone that hires them rents or sales them a house or appartment needs to be fined for harboring an illegal and any property that is owned by an illegal needs to be conficated and sold the proceeds used to transport them and their children back to where ever they came from and if there are houses owned they can be used to house homeless Vets first then anyother homeless citizen. Some of you may think that this is being heartless and cruel but remember these people that I am refering to are here illegally and have broken the laws of this country. Before any closed military instalation is used for housing any illegal children they need to be used for housing our homeless vets and other citizens not for a bunch of screaming brats that are here illegally and being brought here by a bunch of bleedingheart liberals(Comunist) such as Obama.

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 16 at 2014 8:48 PM

2014-07-16T20:48:03-04:00

How much does it cost to build a better wall? The Administration requested $4.3 Billion to handle the current immigration crisis. Dividing by approximately 2,000 mile US-Mexico border and dividing again by 5,280 feet per mile - this provides budget of approximately $400 per foot to secure the border. Actual cost, see below, may be closer to $4.5 Billion.

Surely, we could put together a decent fence for $400 per foot with seismic detectors for tunneling, a decent patrol road, automated video motion sensitive surveillance system, and broad soft dark earth shoulders to detect individual personnel intrusions? Israel built one.

Keep in mind, for all the argument about new immigrants trying to escape the threat of violence in their home country, the goal seems not simply to migrate to a nearby peaceful country (for the sake of argument say Mexico). Rather it appears the goal is to immigrate into the US for sake of securing better economic and other opportunities in our country.

We already admit one million people a year who properly apply for a visa - including four hundred thousand from countries south of Mexico. Why do we facilitate illegal immigration by failing to build and maintain a decent wall and patrol road on our southern border?

We are also already flying and otherwise returning recent immigrants to their home countries as rapidly as we can within institutional constraints. Why not invest some money in a better wall to discourage massive long distance illegal immigration. Moreover, such a wall may be a practical necessity in today's terrorist, personnel, drug, and weapon smuggling environment.

UPDATE: Apparently a decent border fence is slightly more expensive than I thought - more on the order of $678.42 per foot - in large part because landowners want to be paid a lot of money for the land on which we need to build a good fence. In any case, some 670 miles of good solid border fence effective against illegal immigration has already been built - leaving only 1263 miles of border fence remaining to be built - a project that given what we paid for the border fencing already in place should cost us about $4.5 Billion to complete.

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/06/21/19062298-price-tag-for-700-miles-of-border-fencing-high-and-hard-to-pin-down

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 17 at 2014 1:25 PM

2014-07-17T13:25:00-04:00

Thanks for the nomination but I dont think so. As for the illegals once they have been sent back if they return they need to be stood against a wall and shot for their illegal activaty and give the military the authority to take whatever actions necessary to stop all illegal entry to the states and that includes shooting anyone that comes across illegally and anyone helping them to cross after this is done a few times then the people will get the message that if they come illegally that is what will happen. This may seem cruel but that is exactually what it will take to stop the illegals from coming to this country. I have no problem with anyone immigrating to this country as long as they do it legally

Response by SPC Charles Brown made Jul 17 at 2014 3:01 PM

2014-07-17T15:01:31-04:00

I have never been one to shy away from controversial issues so let me add my .02 here. Do we need to better control our southern borders, yes. However, there needs to be a massive change in the federal government policy, and by that I mean our president stopping the current policy of come one, come all. We have enough unemployment to go around and allowing illegal immigrants into this country only compounds the problem. We need to reinstate the system of checks and balances and remove many of the powers that have been over stepped by those we put into office. Using the military to police our borders would strengthen the border patrol and allow for better control of this human flood.

As a nation we have no idea of the intentions of those coming across our borders. How do we know we haven't already let slip many who would do our nation harm when given the opportunity. In essence we are undermining our own safety and security. It appears to me that this would fall under the purview of the Department of Homeland Security. And we all know how capable of they are of defending or providing security for anyone other than themselves.

I now turn the forum over to others so they can speak their minds.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 17 at 2014 10:16 PM

2014-07-17T22:16:16-04:00

SPC McAlister I could care less what their faces are or are not they crossed the border illegally first time send them back to where ever they came from if they come back shoot them on sight along with anyone helping them. As for drug dealers and cartell members they are to be shot on sight. LTC FT Bliss I agree with the mine fields and machinegun bunkers the preprogramed artillery is a bit much but understandable and I say that if the Federal goverment does not take actions then the State Govoner should call out the NG and give them leathal force authorization. if the feds dont like that idea then they need to come up with a plan to permanently close our borders to all illegal entry if it means killing anyone crossing illegally so be it as that is the only way that it will be seen as a closed border.

Response by GySgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 23 at 2014 3:14 PM

2014-07-23T15:14:49-04:00

send a bunch of PFC's and LCpl's on line to police call the border, sounds good to me lol. Kidding aside, I always wonder about the terrorist threats associated with our weak borders. We need to have harsh punishments for those who cross illegally. We have a Marine stuck in a crappy prison in Mexico for crossing over, military personnel think twice now about doing the same. If we had something harsh, it would make people think twice about coming into the greatest nation.

Response by SSG Jason Soles made Jul 24 at 2014 2:58 PM

2014-07-24T14:58:09-04:00

We educate llegals for free too. As a teacher, I see many of the kids that have no desire to better themselves through education. In many cases, there is no desire to assimilate as citizens, but instead, a strong apathy toward anything resembling effort to learn and conduct themselves as guests of this nation. They too have a sense of entitlement. My grandfather came from Mexico and fought in world war OK and used his go bill to educate himself and better his life. These folks coming over now just want to line up to take the benefits of out taxes without contributing anything. That is not sustainable. We have veterans we owe medical services to for their sacrifices and they should come first.

Response by CW3 Kevin Storm made May 26 at 2016 1:21 PM

2016-05-26T13:21:14-04:00

Borrow from the East German playbook, mine the border.

Response by SSgt James Stanley made Jun 12 at 2016 5:31 PM

2016-06-12T17:31:19-04:00

Yes, I think the military should be utilized on the border to stop the flow of illegals and be given carte blanche on handling the drug cartels. I realize the border patrol has primary control at the border, but they are under manned and are not getting the job done. Our country is being invaded by God only knows how many terrorist groups along with the Mexicans. It is imperative that we get the border closed as soon as possible and keep it closed.