Domenici Lobbies for Border Interdiction Center During Meeting with Commissioner
from the Office of Senator Pete V. Domenici
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Pete Domenici today promoted the benefits of Las Cruces as an ideal location for a proposed Border Interdiction Support Center to serve the Southwest during a meeting in his Washington office with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Robert Bonner.
Domenici also addressed New Mexico's top border issues-border security and law enforcement training-with Commissioner Bonner Monday. Domenici has recommended CBP personnel meet directly with Las Cruces and Doña Ana County representatives to discuss having a center located in Las Cruces to compile tactical intelligence, analyze it, and distribute leads and reports to federal, state and local law enforcement organizations.
"New Mexico is already home to world class facilities like the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Artesia and Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories that support the state's hard-nosed stance on border security. An interdiction facility in Las Cruces would be advantageous to the overall campaign to secure the nation's borders," Domenici said.
Domenici also cited the need for immigration reform, noting that a functional guest worker program in all industries could alleviate illegal border crossings. The lawmaker last week received an update in Las Cruces on border security efforts from immigration and law enforcement officials.
In promoting the Las Cruces region, Domenici has stressed the state's current contributions to homeland security at Los Alamos and Sandia National Laboratories, the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center at Artesia, the First Responders Training Center operated by New Mexico Tech in Playas and New Mexico State University's UAV validation and test facility at Las Cruces.
Domenici also noted that the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee that will fund homeland security efforts in FY2006 includes $1.75 billion for Customs and Border Protection personnel.
"New Mexico has real concerns about border security, but the Homeland Security Appropriations Bill being debated on the floor this week takes into consideration the unique needs of border states, particularly New Mexico. Tightening the watch on the Mexican border means more and better trained Border Patrol agents, newer facilities and use of sophisticated technologies," Domenici said. "These have all become priorities in New Mexico."
In the Senate bill, $82.45 million has been provided to annualize 500 new Border Patrol agents that were initially funded in the FY2005 Emergency Supplemental appropriations bill and $241 million is included to hire an additional 1,000 new agents. Those agents will all be trained at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Artesia, which is the recipient of $40 million for new facilities to meet the increased number of trainees going through the facility each year.
Also included in the Senate bill is $302.4 million for the construction, renovation and maintenance of border facilities, including $3.1 million for the Deming field office.
Domenici is a longtime proponent of deploying unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV's) on the border to assist with surveillance. The Senate is slated to provide $10.2 million to continue development UAV's, as well as $20 million for replacement of other aircraft used on the border. Domenici suggested to Bonner that new technologies like these could also help control the border.
The bill also contains $868.0 million for illegal immigrant detention facilities, which will add 2,240 detention beds. $321.7 million is in the bill to develop an Automated Commercial Environment, a new automated system to expedite border crossings.
http://domenici.senate.gov/news/record.cfm?id=240528