Pubdate: Sat, 08 Jul 2006
Source: Washington Times (DC)
Copyright: 2006 News World Communications, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.washingtontimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/492
Author: Charles Hurt
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HOUSE TOLD CRIMINALS SWELLING ALIEN TIDE

Most of the people who sneak across the border are no longer good 
people in search of honest work, the sheriff of a border county in 
Texas told a House subcommittee yesterday, but rather criminals who 
belong to gangs and drug cartels.

"For years we have seen individuals enter the country illegally," 
said Sigifredo Gonzalez Jr., sheriff of Zapata County. "However, 
recently we feel that many of these persons are no longer entering 
the country to look for legitimate employment. We are now seeing that 
many of these persons are members of ruthless and violent gangs."

Sheriff Gonzalez's testimony before the House International Relations 
subcommittee was part of a series of "field hearings" held across the 
country to gauge voter opinion on reforming the nation's immigration 
laws. Yesterday's hearing was held in Laredo, in Zapata County.

"Some areas can accurately be described as a war zone," panel 
Chairman Ed Royce, California Republican, told The Washington Times 
after touring the border near Laredo.

Sheriff Gonzalez told members of the subcommittee that the number of 
illegal aliens from places other than Mexico -- including countries 
on terrorist watch lists -- caught crossing the border has more than 
quintupled in the past four years. Increasingly, he said, they try 
blending in to look like Mexicans crossing the border in search of honest work.

With more than 165,000 illegal aliens caught in fiscal 2005, Sheriff 
Gonzalez said, he can only imagine how many succeed in getting across.

"I dare to say that at any given time, daytime or nighttime, one can 
get on a boat and traverse back and forth between Texas and Mexico 
and not get caught," he said. "If smugglers can bring in tons of 
marijuana and cocaine at one time and can smuggle 20-30 persons at 
one time, one can just imagine how easy it would be to bring in two 
to three terrorists or their weapons of mass destruction across the 
river and not be detected."

Reynaldo M. Garza, acting chief patrol agent for the Laredo Sector, 
also told members of the subcommittee that the number of violent 
incidents at points of entry to the U.S. have increased dramatically 
in recent years.

The testimony comes as Congress tries to work out a compromise 
between House and Senate versions of immigration reform legislation.

House Republicans want to secure the border first and deal with 
thorny issues such as a guest-worker program after the borders have 
been bolstered. Senate Democrats, along with key Republicans such as 
Majority Leader Bill Frist, want a bill that handles all aspects of 
immigration reform at the same time.

Rep. Silvestre Reyes, Texas Democrat, said the hearings were about 
politics, not policy.

"Congress needs to get back to work in Washington to reach a 
compromise agreement on comprehensive border security and immigration 
reform legislation," Mr. Reyes said.

The audience in Laredo was full of activists on both sides of the issue.

Rep. Ted Poe, Texas Republican, said to cheers that if the U.S. is 
protecting the borders of other nations, it should also be protecting its own.

"It's a national security issue to protect our borders from those who 
wish to do us harm," he said.

Rep. Ruben Hinojosa, Texas Democratic, said the proceedings were a 
"false promise."

"This hearing will do nothing to secure our borders," he said.

This article is based in part on wire service reports.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman