LOS ANGELES President Obama will send up to 1200 National Guard troops to the Southwest border and increase spending on law enforcement yielding to demands from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers there that border security be tightened administration officials said.
In mid-April 2010 U.S. Reps. Solomon P. Ortiz Henry Cuellar Susan Davis Bob Filner Gabrielle Giffords Ruben Hinojosa Silvestre Reyes Ciro Rodriguez and Harry Teague sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer requesting $500 million in supplemental funding for border security.
Homeland Security officials said that the troops would provide support to law enforcement officers already working along the border by helping observe and monitor traffic between official crossing points and would help analyze trafficking patterns in hopes of intercepting illegal drug shipments. They performed similar tasks in an earlier deployment along the border from 2006 to 2008 when they also assisted with road and fence construction.
The troops have not been involved directly in intercepting border crossers.
Today U.S. Reps. Solomon P. Ortiz Ruben Hinojosa Henry Cuellar Ciro Rodriguez Charlie Gonzalez and Silvestre Reyes released the following statement after President Barack Obamas announcement of the deployment of 1200 National Guard troops to 
the U.S.-Mexico border as well as his request for $500 million in supplemental funding:
The communities we represent in Texas are at the frontlines of our border security efforts. For these reasons we commend the President in making this supplemental request to augment federal state and local law enforcement working to secure the nations southern border. In light of escalated violence in Mexico this spring nine southern border lawmakers from California Arizona Texas and New Mexico made a collective request this April for over $500 million in emergency funding to support our law enforcement capabilities on the ground. Hence we look forward to working with the White House as more information becomes available as to where and when these additional border security resources will be deployed."
Representative Gabrielle Giffords a Democrat from southern Arizona praised the decision. Ms. Giffords is expecting a strong challenge for reelection and was an early proponent of sending troops to the border. The White House is doing the right thing" she said in a statement announcing the move. Arizonans know that more boots on the ground means a safer and more secure border. Washington heard our message." In addition to the soldiers the White House said it would request $500 million in supplemental funds to pay for more federal agents prosecutors investigators and technology at the border. Homeland Security officials have said that they have significantly increased border security efforts since Mr. Obama took office. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano a former governor of Arizona said last month that the border was as secure now as it has ever been" though she conceded there was room for improvement. Critics on the right derided her remarks as out of touch.
