GOP Bill Would Empower Border Patrol To Secure U.S.-Mexico Border

Legislation recently introduced by House Republicans would “prohibit the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture from taking action on public lands which impede border security on such lands."

The bill’s supporters believe that, if it is passed, the bill will allow the U.S. Border Patrol to secure the southern border without the assistance of the National Guard.

During an April 14 press conference, Republican sponsors of the bill indicated that the Interior Department's interference with the Border Patrol’s congressionally mandated operations had opened the 20.7 million acres of public land along the southern border to illicit activity, which is often associated with illegal immigration.

“We are introducing this bill today simply because the Department of Interior and, to a lesser extent, the Forest Service, have failed to protect American citizens,” said Rep. Rob Bishop (R-Utah), ranking member of the House Public Lands subcommittee who is sponsoring the legislation.

“Unfortunately, the land managers that are down there on the (southern) border have placed the wilderness characteristics of the land and protection of existing or potential endangered species as their number one criteria, and because of that, the border patrol has been impeded from doing their job,” said Bishop.

The congressman further said, “(W)e have huge and gigantic holes in the border through which most of the illegal drugs coming into this country are coming, through which human trafficking and all the violence, especially against women, are taking place … and the potential of terrorists coming into this country coming through the holes that are, that are caused simply because of the land management policies this nation has on all the federal lands that are down there ….”

Bishop also remarked on the violence against American citizens that has occurred apparently as a result of conflict between the Interior Department and border agents.

Last month, Rob Krentz, a 58-year-old Arizona rancher, was shot and killed on his own property by an alleged illegal immigrant drug smuggler who entered the United States by crossing federal land.

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