FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 25, 2008
Contact: Katie Nee , 225-588-7689
katie@doncazayoux.org

Cazayoux Focuses on Immigration, Travels to the Border
Tours border control facilities in El Paso, TX and San Diego, CA

BATON ROUGE- Congressman Don Cazayoux completed a two-day tour of the U.S. Mexico Border last week, making stops in El Paso , TX and San Diego , CA .  Border Patrol agents and Customs and Border Protection officers showed Cazayoux the facilities and infrastructure designed to prevent illegal aliens from crossing the border.

“I'm glad I had a chance to see our border security efforts first-hand and hear directly from border patrol agents about the challenges we face, said Cazayoux. “Our border patrol agents are doing an incredible job with the tools they have, but they need a continued commitment from the federal government.  Some of their technology is outdated, we need more tactical infrastructure and new agents, while approved, are still not on the ground.  Border security is critical to our national security, and I believe we can do better”

In El Paso , Cazayoux viewed “Operation Hold the Line,” which was implemented in 1993 and has drastically reduced illegal immigration.  El Paso is one of the largest Border Patrol sectors with 2,500 officers. 

In San Diego , Cazayoux saw what is known as “Operation Gatekeeper” along the border between Tijuana , Mexico and San Diego , California .  The San Diego sector contains one of the largest ports of entry in the United States at San Ysidro, which has over 9% of all traffic entering the U.S. and is the busiest land border crossing in the world.  120,000 to 150,000 people cross the border there each day. 

Cazayoux also viewed the end of border fencing at the Pacific Ocean , where the border is then secured by air and marine patrols.  At both locations, Cazayoux was able to tour detention facilities where illegal immigrants are held and then either deported, sent back to their country of origin, or tried in criminal court.

“Illegal immigration is a problem that begins at the border, but affects the economy, our infrastructure, our court system, and our national security.  We must do everything we can to secure our borders ” Cazayoux said.   “From my observations, it is clear that we commit to more border patrol agents, better and modern technology, and the appropriate tactical infrastructure in a given location to secure our borders.” 

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