Senators Examine Border Mission
A long and detailed state Senate hearing about plans to send the California National Guard to help out at the border with Mexico revealed a few interesting items-- including that the federal government still hasn't signed off on the arrangement, and that Governor Schwarzenegger will remain in command of the troops.
The top officers of the Guard, as well as state emergency officials, testified before the special committee that was organized two weeks ago. And while there were a lot of answers, there appear to still be a lot of questions about the request by President Bush to augment the work of the U.S. Border Patrol.
Testimony at today's hearing revealed that federal officials are still reviewing a draft memorandum of understanding with each state. That MOU apparently is linked to any federal funding for the border assignment.
Meantime, state Guard leaders say they've made several recommendations to Governor Schwarzenegger about the ensuing mission. One duty the Guard does not want to participate in: "any mission or task that puts our soldiers or airmen in direct contact with any detainees or immigrants that the Border Patrol may have apprehended," said Col. David Baldwin.
"If not apprehension or detention," asked Sen. Joe Dunn (D-Garden Grove), "what would the California National Guard personnel be doing?"
Col. Baldwin said the troops would be used for support duties. And he offered this interesting glimpse into how thinly stretched the Border Patrol really is: "In the Border Patrol, sworn [law enforcement] agents are their vehicle mechanics," he said. "So if we send down a vehicle mechanic that can fix a Border Patrol Humvee, that frees up a Border Patrol agent to go out on the line."
And unlike the National Guard's deployment to Iraq-- where the troops are federalized and therefore under control of the President-- these soldiers would remain under the command of Schwarzenegger. "The governor of each state has the right to decline any mission that he or she does not deem appropriate for their National Guard," said Col. Baldwin.
The hearing also touched on the question of an "exit strategy" for using the Guard. Federal officials have indicated the program could run as long as two years, until Bush's proposal for 6,000 new Border Patrol agents is fully implemented. But Guard officials told lawmakers that because the soldiers will still be inside California, those troops could be pulled off border duty in the event of a state emergency.
For now, there's only been discussion. Adjutant General William Wade told the committee that the governor has not issued any orders yet related to the border proposal, the key step towards mobilization.
