“This explosion in the size and scope of the Border Patrol is extremely troubling.”
Dear Mr. Parsons,
We are writing in opposition to the plan by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to spend $8 million on a major expansion of its Port Angeles facility in order to accommodate 50 agents. The current number is 25, up from a total number of 4 in 2006. Read more
President Obama signed into law a $600 million bill on Friday to pay for 1,500 new border agents, additional unmanned surveillance drones and new Border Patrol stations along the southwest border.
The measure sailed through Congress in little more than a week with broad bipartisan support, demonstrating Read more
The “Secure Communities” program automatically runs fingerprints through immigration databases for all people arrested and targets them for detention and deportation even if their criminal charges are minor, eventually dismissed, or the result of an unlawful arrest…. Read more
The Arizona Legislature has just stepped off the deep end of the immigration debate, passing a harsh and mean-spirited bill that would do little to stop illegal immigration. What it would do is lead to more racial profiling, hobble local law enforcement, and open government agencies to frivolous, politically driven lawsuits. Read more
GOP: Border Patrol should control federal lands
A group of House Republicans say Border Patrol agents should be granted direct control over U.S. borders, even on federal lands managed by other agencies.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011604810_apusbordersafety.html
OAKLAND, CA (3/19/09) – Senators Charles Schumer and Lindsey Graham announced Thursday their plan for immigration reform. Unfortunately, it is a retread, recycling the same bad ideas that led to the defeat of reform efforts over the last five years. In some ways, their proposal is even worse.
Read more
By N.C. Aizenman and Spencer S. Hsu
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, March 9, 2010; A02
Leaders of nearly a dozen grass-roots immigrant rights groups excoriated President Obama and congressional Democrats on Monday, accusing them of moving too slowly Read more
Stop The Checkpoints meeting on Saturday, March 6 at 4:00 pm at the Port Angeles Library (Note new time – 4:00 pm) will plan actions to protest the increasing police state tactics in northwestern Washington State. Senator Murray wants funding to keep the huge homeland security headquarters in Bellingham Read more
Thursday 18 February 2010
by: William Fisher, t r u t h o u t | Report
(Photo: r3v || cls)
A little-known program run by the Department of Homeland Security is using inaccurate databases and functioning “as little more than a dragnet to funnel even more people into the already overburdened” detention and deportation system of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, according to three civil rights organizations that have filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Read more
Check out Alex’s new page with links about lots of military activity here in Western Washington state including aerial surveillance, army helicopters and fighter jets over Port Angeles, and more information on the Olympic Security Coordination Center which “will coordinate the security efforts for over 40 federal, state and local agencies on the U.S. side of the U.S. – Canadian border.”
