12/01/2006

IN DEFENSE OF BORDERS

Homeland Security Report: Hezbollah Has Already Entered Through Porous Border

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Tom Tancredo (R-CO) today commented on the Subcommittee on Investigations of the Committee on Homeland Security Report on border violence. "This report is alarming and eye opening to say the least," said Tancredo, Chairman of the Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus. "The report confirms our worst fears and shows that we must focus on border security now, and a guest worker plan later, much later. The only thing compromised will be the lives of the American people if we continue to allow big business and unions to force the issue on the guest worker aspect of the immigration/border security debate" added Tancredo.

The report confirms:

* U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigations have revealed that aliens were smuggled from the Middle East to staging areas in Central and South America, before being smuggled illegally into the United States

* Members of Hezbollah have already entered the United States across the Southwest border.

* U.S. military and intelligence officials believe that Venezuela is emerging as a potential hub of terrorism in the Western Hemisphere. The Venezuelan government is issuing identity documents that could subsequently be used to obtain a U.S. visa and enter the country.

Tancredo concluded, "The report unfortunately confirms once again what the American people have known for years – that our porous borders are a welcome mat for terrorists."

A free copy of the report titled "A Line In The Sand: Confronting The Threat At The Southwest Border" is available for download here.