Landing the Big One

Landing the Big One

Monday, September 13, 2010

Before Arizona: "Border Emergency Declared in New Mexico" - in 2005

See CNN.com - Border emergency declared in New Mexico - Aug 13, 2005:
Richardson's declaration makes $750,000 in state emergency funds available to Dona Ana, Luna, Grant and Hidalgo counties.

Richardson pledged an additional $1 million in assistance for the area, his office said in a news release.

He said on CNN that the funds will be used to hire additional law enforcement personnel and pay officers overtime.

In announcing the state of emergency, Richardson -- a Democrat who served in President Clinton's Cabinet -- criticized the "total inaction and lack of resources from the federal government and Congress" in helping protect his state's residents along the border.
And my post on the topic at the time where I wrote here:
By ignoring minor incursions, we now have a much larger and more complex issue to deal with. While I am not a fan of Governor Richardson, I do admire his effort to do something now on this problem. I can only hope the politicos in Washington will act cuanto antes to make sure we remain a country open to legimate immigrants and genuine guest workers who are willing to obey our laws. Law breakers and scofflaws deserve no special treatment. I cannot imagine that we can long continue to allow this particular "broken window" to remain unrepaired.
Of course, with a Hispanic governor and a Republican president, the New Mexico shout out mostly was an attempt to embarrass the Bush Administration and did not receive the attention that the Arizona law and situation has, with cries of racism and all. In fact, I don't think Rev. Sharpton even phoned.

In fact, I can't recall any suggestions at the time that New Mexico be boycotted...

Of course, some NM legislator had a short memory as seen here:
Maestas says, "We should immediately start an ad campaign saying 'Come to New Mexico — we're not Arizona'."
Nice. Welcome illegal border crossers from a foreign country and insult a neighboring state.

1 comment:

  1. New Mexico would do well to heed the example of Arizona.
    Not an American, I sympathise with those fighting back against illegals.
    Out here in Indonesia, the regime deported 20 illegals last week, and they were happy to go, as they were held in sufficiently disagreeable conditions.
    Illegals in the US seem to have too many incentives to stay, and in Canada and Australia, they have large fifth columns active to make them hang in till governments cave in and let them get residence.
    We legal foreigners in Indonesia have our own conservative expat blog, Ross's Right Angle, which debates these issues often.

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