IPFS
Permanent DHS Checkpoints Planned For Arizona Highways (special report - part 14 & final)
Written by Terry Bressi Subject: Arizona's Top NewsPart 14 of a 14 part video series highlighting a town hall meeting organized by Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords appears above. The meeting was held on September 2, 2009 in Green Vally, Arizona to discuss/debate a recent GAO report on internal suspicionless homeland security checkpoints.
* A resident asks how CANAMEX has affected the checkpoint's design philosophy along with a question regarding how far several checkpoints in Texas were from the border.* Chief Gilbert responded that yes, CANAMEX, is playing a role in the checkpoint design which would take into account the international trade/commerce needs of the future.* GAO representative Stana responded to the Texas checkpoint question by indicating they were between 25 and 50 miles North of the border.* Congressional Representative Giffords closed the meeting after indicating more (Homeland Security) resources were needed in Southern Arizona since approximately 50% of the illegal traffic coming into the country originated in Arizona. She also indicated she was critical of the government for failing to beef up resources at the interim checkpoint years earlier when she explicitly requested it.
This completes Checkpoint USA's 14 part video series on the town hall meeting held by Rep. Giffords regarding internal checkpoints. In summary, I was very disappointed (but not surprised) regarding the way the GAO conducted itself along with Gifford's seeming acquiesence to the GAO report's faulty conclusions. Reviewing the report for myself, it was obvious the GAO explicitly tailored it to rubber-stamp a pre-determined conclusion that a permanent checkpoint would be erected in Southern Arizona regardless of its effectiveness or feedback from the public.
Instead of serving as an independent agency conducting a neutral review regarding the effectiveness of internal checkpoints, the GAO went out of its way to downplay data showing border operations are more than ten times more effective than internal checkpoints. GAO representatives also made knowingly flawed conclusions regarding the effectiveness of internal checkpoints that aren't justified by data contained in their own report. Finally, representative Giffords has clearly bought into the DHS/GAO propaganda making it clear a real grass roots effort will be required to stop the checkpoint.
In other words, we wont be getting much assistance from Congress, not that I'm surprised in the least.
[Congresswoman Giffords (left), Tucson Sector Chief Gilbert (middle) & Local Border Patrol Union President Tuffly (right)]Watch Streaming Broadcast Live:
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