Feds Fail to do Their Job So Texans Pick Up Slack

A person has only to open a newspaper or turn on the evening news to know that immigration and border security are our nation’s latest hot-button issues.

The federal government is responsible for immigration and for securing America’s borders; however an increase in illegal activities along the Texas-Mexico border prompted the state to raise its level of participation in border security.

The 80th Texas Legislature appropriated more than $200 million for border and homeland security this year.  This appropriation included funds for a new Department of Public Safety office and a new crime lab on the border as well as for the expansion of existing crime labs around the state.  Other funds were given to border area law enforcement agencies and to the Department of Public Safety.

We also passed a comprehensive homeland and border security bill which Governor Perry signed on June 6.  As a member of the Senate Committee on Transportation and Homeland Security I worked on and voted for Senate Bill 11 which addresses numerous issues relating to the border area including criminal activity that threatens Texans’ safety as well as natural and man-made disasters.   

Senate Bill 11 establishes a statewide mutual aid system to improve integrated statewide aid response capacity between local government law enforcement entities.  The bill also expands the use of wiretaps to apprehend arrest and prosecute criminals engaged in certain activities such as kidnaping human trafficking and money laundering.  It also enhances the type of information that may be collected in a criminal street gang database.

One of the bill’s more interesting provisions is creating a near real-time database for temporary license tags such as those on recently purchased vehicles.  Near real-time tags will also reduce crime and fraud that may be associated with these tags.

Other provisions allocate more resources for higher education institutions in their efforts to address safety issues and to allow school boards to close meetings when discussing security plans.  The bill also creates a Border Security Council to advise the Governor provides training for local officials on emergency management and increases the availability of amateur radio and search and rescue volunteers during a disaster.

After Hurricane Katrina police confiscated firearms from homes and from individuals who were not violating the law.  To ensure that does not happen in Texas during a natural disaster we passed Senate Bill 112 prohibiting the confiscation of firearms unless a law is being violated.

Numerous immigration bills were filed but few passed.  House Bill 1196 requires businesses to attest on applications for public subsidies that they do not and will not employ illegal aliens.  Another bill allows stricter penalties to be imposed on those who tamper with government documents used to establish residency and citizenship. 

These bills and other actions by the state such as installing a camera system along the border will help secure our border; however the protection of international borders remains a function of the federal government -- there is only so much that the state can do.