 U.S. President George W. Bush attempted to ease worries expressed by Vincente Fox, the President of Mexico, in advance of Bush's nationally televised address in which he anticipated unveiling his plan to send thousands of National Guard troops to the U.S. - Mexican border. The U.S. President is intent on sealing off his country's southern border against the tide of illegal immigrants. Mexican President Fox expressed reservations and concern over what he considers the potential militarization of the border. Bush assured him that the presence of the National Guard would only be a temporary measure to bolster the work of Border Patrol agents. A Whute House spokesperson stated that Bush made it clear that the U.S. considers Mexico a friend and that nothing like militarization of the border was being considered. The White House insisted that the U.S. President continued to consider all of his options when it comes to border security measures. According to the White House, National Guard troops would provide intelligence, training, transporation and related functions in support of the work of the Border Patrol. The actual guarding of the border would remain in the hands of the Border Patrol. According to U.S. Administration officials, the National Guard would serve as a stopgap force until civilians could be hired to take over some of the administrative and support funstions from the overtaxed Border Patrol agency. Stephen J. Hadley, the U.S. National Security Advisor, insisted that the action of sending the National Guard to the border was not militarization. On CBS's "Face the Nation" he said that the President is doing everything he can to secure the border because it is what the American people want. Republican leaders in the Congress are supportive of Bush's plan to send National Guard troops to the U.S. and Mexican border region. |
