Mayor Cook’s Reaction To Troops Being Sent To Border

Editor’s Note: El Paso Mayor John Cook released the following statement in response to President Barack Obama saying he will send 1,200 National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border.

“I am hoping that a portion of the money that the White House is requesting will be spent at the Ports of Entry because we have already spent $393 million in the El Paso sector alone for 131 miles of border fence at $3 million per mile. This is a total of 646 miles of fence along the entire US-Mxico border.

The federal government has also increased the number of Border Patrol Agents by 80% since 2004 to a total of 20,000 agents. I support Congressman Reyes’ request for additional resources at the ports of entry since significant investments have already been made between the ports of entry.

As a member of the Southwest Border Security Taskforce’s Commerce Subgroup and tasked by Secretary Napolitano with drafting recommendations to improve border crossings, the Taskforce also supports the request for additional resources at the ports of entry.

I do not oppose sending 1,200 National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mxico border as long as they are support personnel for the purpose of activities such as observation, detection and communication but not to enforce immigration law.”