Perry’s early record on border security

Governor Perry has been active in border security and controlling illegal immigration since early in his first term as Governor.

During his first Session of the Texas Legislature, he vetoed a bill that would have allowed illegal aliens to obtain drivers’ licenses. (We finally got a law that prohibits them, this year.)

Immediately after September 11, 2001 attacks on Washington, DC and New York’s World Trade Center, the Governor helped coordinate the deployment of 530 National Guardsmen at airports all over the State. In November 2001, he added 133 more to the number of National Guards posted at 27 airports in Texas.
http://governor.state.tx.us/news/press-release/4233/

In October 1, 2001, Governor Perry announced the creation of the Governor’s Task Force on Homeland Security. http://governor.state.tx.us/news/executive-order/4440/

In June, 2002, the Governor announced that Texas would receive Federal grants for building border security facilities at the border crossings. These facilities would inspect trucks and other vehicles that cross from Mexico into Texas. (there were none before 2002).http://governor.state.tx.us/news/speech/10787/

In May, 2002, the Governor used funds from his own office to institute Counter Terrorism training at the Port of Houston and another separate program to train state and local law enforcement. http://governor.state.tx.us/news/press-release/4322/

Too many of those who oppose Governor Perry seem to fixate on one law, the exception for non-resident tuition for the children of illegal aliens, ignoring the forest for one tree.

Over and over in Texas, we have demanded and begged for the Federal government to carry out its job of securing the border.. We pump our own money, men and machines, into programs meant to secure the border. If the United States Federal government followed the laws that are in place, they would be forced to block the border and to notice and to deport illegal aliens, long before their kids finish 3 years of school.

The safety of our Nation depends on border security, and keeping terrorists, drug runners and spies from crossing the border, not on how we treat 18 year-olds whose families brought them here when they were 15 years old or less.