Speech #1090077472

It is time that the Federal Government recognizes that border communities should not have to bear this burden alone. The bill I am introducing today is aimed at enhancing security in the border region by giving law enforcement agencies the manpower and resources they need to combat borderrelated crimes. Specifically. the bill would establish a competitive grant program within the Department of Homeland Security to help local law enforcement situated along the border cover some of the costs they incur as a result of dealing with illegal immigration. drug trafficking. stolen vehicles. and other borderrelated crimes. and authorizes $30 million a year to carry out the program. Funds allocated under the grant program could be used to hire additional personnel. obtain necessary equipment. upgrade law enforcement technology. and cover overtime and transportations costs. Law enforcement agencies serving communities within 100 miles of the U.S. border with Mexico or Canada. as well as any other agencies located outside of this geographical limit located in an area which has been designated by the Secretary of Homeland Security as a "High Impact Area." would be eligible to apply for the grants. Priority in awarding grants would go to law enforcement agencies serving communities with populations under 50.000. Twothirds of the funds would be set aside for the six states with the highest alien apprehension rates and onethird for areas designated as "High Impact Areas." It is the responsibility of the Federal Government to adequately secure the Nations borders and prevent the flow of undocumented persons and illegal drugs into the country. Despite the fact that the Border Patrol apprehends over 1 million people each year trying to illegally enter the United States. the number of illegal aliens in the United States continues to rise as thousands of individuals enter the country through our porous borders. The border region is also a major corridor for the shipment of drugsaccording to the El Paso Intelligence Center. 65 percent of the narcotics that are sold in the United States enter the country through the Southwest border. By virtue of their proximity to an international border. many of adverse consequences of the failure of the Federal Government to adequately secure the border fall on the border communities.