Quayle to Napolitano: Stop Playing Politics with Border Security
Statement
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Damon Moley
Communications Director
Quayle for Congress
480.648.0648
Quayle to Napolitano: Stop Playing Politics with Border Security and Recognize the “State of Emergency” that STILL Exists in Arizona
Phoenix, Ariz. (July 21, 2010) – Ben Quayle, running for Congress in the 3rd District of Arizona, released the following statement in response to the Obama Administration’s insufficient reaction to the ongoing State of Emergency that exists at the U.S. Southern border:
“Secretary Janet Napolitano recently proclaimed Arizona’s border ‘is as secure now as it’s ever been…’ Secretary Napolitano lives in an alternate reality than we do in Arizona because we know that the situation on our southern border has gotten exponentially more violent since 2005, which was the same year then-Arizona Governor Napolitano declared a ‘State of Emergency’ along our southern border.”
“In 2005, she stated that the federal government was ‘moving too slow’ on border security. She also said, ‘This is a federal responsibility, and they’re not meeting it. I’ve just come to the conclusion (that) we’ve got to do what we can at the state level until the federal government picks up the slack.’”
“It’s been five years since then-Governor Napolitano declared Arizona’s southern border in a State of Emergency and that Arizona needed to act because the Federal Government would not,” said Quayle. “Now, she and the rest of the Obama Administration have decided that it’s better to sue Arizona rather than work with our state to secure our border.”
“The Obama Administration’s passive response to the increasing violence near Arizona’s border is beyond troubling. The escalating war between the Mexican government and the drug cartels is more dangerous now than ever, and it’s no longer just a life-threatening situation for citizens of Mexico. Arizona’s local law enforcement officials are having their lives threatened by Mexican drug cartels operating in Arizona.”
“Recently, the drug cartels detonated a car bomb near our border in Juarez,” said Quayle. “This level of sophistication in the drug cartels’ terrorist activities is just the latest alarm bell that shows this is a national security issue.”
“And as a human rights issue, it should concern all of us that human smugglers are abandoning illegal immigrants they smuggle into our country, causing the death tolls to rise so high that the Pima County Coroner’s office now has to use refrigeration trucks to store the bodies,” said Quayle.
“It’s been estimated that seventeen percent of those crossing the border illegally already have a criminal record in the United States,” said Quayle. “If these examples do not constitute a state of emergency, what does?”
“Secretary Napolitano is now in a position to do exactly what she said the federal government wasn’t doing five years ago. The citizens of Arizona know the 1,200 National Guard troops sent to do administrative and legal work will not accomplish what needs to be done to secure our border.”
“I would urge President Obama and Secretary Napolitano to accept Governor Brewer’s invitation to tour the border and talk to Arizonans who live in constant fear. President Obama, secure our border!”
MEDIA NOTE: Ben Quayle is available for comment. Please contact Damon Moley at 480.648.0648.
About Ben Quayle
Ben Quayle is running in the 3rd Congressional District of Arizona. Ben Quayle is the fourth generation in his family to live and work in Arizona. Ben will fight for the Third Congressional District of Arizona, conservative principles and the future of this great nation. Ben will cut taxes and spending, fight for real healthcare reform not a government takeover, defend our country and our troops, end bailouts and so-called stimulus, secure our borders and restore America’s leadership in the world.
