Webb: Security is the real issue

I’m asking fundamental questions in this border battle inside the Beltway, as are you. Many have called my radio show and asked for a breakdown. It is below, as requested by the Trump administration. 

Why would the president of the United States visit our southern border in furtherance of carrying out one of his primary responsibilities? Why would he talk to those who have to do the job of protecting the border on a daily basis? Why do Democrats fear talking to Customs and Border Protection (CBP)?

When it comes to security as a principle it is not about the numbers of illegal immigrants or “alleged asylum seekers” but about effective measures that allow Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to control the entry into and egress from the United States.

{mosads}

All ports of entry matter, but the immediate priority is the southern border from San Diego to Brownsville, Texas, and points in between, like Tucson, Ariz. and El Paso, Laredo and McAllen, Texas. 

In between these cities are vast lands and lawless regions where illegal crossings occur daily. These are not all empty lands, as many Americans deal with illegal border crossings daily. This is a threat to them. 

What is security? As defined, procedures followed or measures taken to ensure the safety of a state. The numbers of illegals crossing, the children involved, the criminals, the drugs or any other elements are the result of the security architecture. 

The White House has asked for $5.7 billion dollars to fund border security priorities. President Trump’s administration has requested that a too often noncompliant Congress approve the following appropriations in the FY19 budget.

Enough of the cries from Democrats of not being told. The funds requested will address the top 10 priorities in CBP’s Security Improvement Plan. This plan is available to them and only the irresponsible have not read it. 

Here are the initial funding requests categorized for you to digest and share.

Border Wall

$5.7 Billion for construction of a steel barrier on the Southwest border to fund 234 miles of new physical barrier.

Immigration Judges

At least $563 million for 75 additional immigration judges and support staff to reduce the backlog of pending immigration cases.

Law Enforcement Personnel

$571 million for 2,000 additional ICE personnel to enforce immigration laws, combat gang violence and stop drug smugglers and human traffickers.

$211 million to hire 750 additional Border Patrol agents in order to keep our borders safe and secure.

Humanitarian Needs

$4.2 billion to support 52,000 detention beds to address the recent surge in illegal immigration.

$800 million to fund enhanced medical support, transportation, consumable supplies and additional temporary facilities necessary to ensure the well-being of those taken into custody.

Technology

$675 million to provide Non-Intrusive Inspection technology at U.S. Southwest Border Land Ports of Entry. This is to help CBP deter and detect narcotics, weapons and other materials that pose a threat to the United States

More key questions

I’ll repeat, the focus is on security, not about the numbers of illegal immigrants or alleged asylum seekers but about employing effective measures that allow ICE to control the entry into and egress from the United States.

What exists: physical barrier, technology, courts and deportation? 

What is needed, and prioritize the list, if possible, from immediate to noncritical? 

What does a timeline of effectiveness look like?

What happens if no deal is reached in Washington? 

Put aside your partisan ideologies. The effects of unfettered illegal immigration into our country are not separated by political leanings. As Democrats in Congress, and some Republicans, refuse to provide funding to secure the border, we continue to face an urgent and growing crisis of illegal immigration. 

Added to this issue are the loopholes in our immigration system that entice illegal alien minors and families to march to our southern border. Our national focus should be on true security. The numbers in every way are a result of effective or ineffective security. 

Webb is host of “The David Webb Show” on SiriusXM Patriot 125, Host of “Reality Check with David Webb” on Fox Nation, a Fox News contributor and a frequent television commentator. His column appears twice a month in The Hill.