GOP presidential hopeful Jeb Bush announced a six-point plan to improve border security Monday, calling for a series of basic steps that draw general agreement — and a controversial crackdown on sanctuary cities.
Mr. Bush, a former two-term Florida governor, said he was a “trailblazer” in working to enlist his state police to help enforce federal immigration laws, and said those cities and counties that refuse to cooperate should have federal law enforcement grants withheld.
His six-point plan, released to WMUR, a television station in New Hampshire, where the GOP candidates are gathered for a forum later Monday, calls for a more flexible Border Patrol strategy and more technology — both already part of President Obama’s strategy — but does not specifically call for more agents.
He does want to give the Border Patrol priority over federal land agencies, whose environmental rules often trip up agents, preventing them from easily pursuing illegal immigrants crossing the harsh but fragile deserts in Arizona and New Mexico.
And Mr. Bush called for stepped-up enforcement of those who overstay their visas and become illegal immigrants. That’s a category that draws less attention than the illegal immigrants who jump the border, but is believed to be a significant, and growing, part of the problem as the flow across the border dips.
Most controversial, though, is his backing of a crackdown on so-called sanctuary cities and counties, which are jurisdictions that limit their police or sheriffs’ cooperation with federal immigration authorities in order to protect some illegal immigrants.
“We should withhold federal law enforcement funds for cities that undermine federal immigration laws and make sure we detain and deport illegal immigrants who are serious criminals,” Mr. Bush said in a post on his website laying out his six points.
He also touted his own record as governor, saying Florida was the first state to sign up for the 287(g) program that trains local officers to help enforce immigration law.
That program proved to be controversial and the Obama administration has dramatically scaled it back, canceling the most far-reaching part that trained officers in the field. A smaller part that trains sheriff’s deputies and officers in prisons and jails to process and report illegal immigrants is still running.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.
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