Now would be a great opportunity to poll individual troops regarding their attitude toward border security. Betcha if published it would put alot of this - not in my backyard - security lapse by Governor Newsroom to rest.
Brown was a good governor, but his consenting to this use of troops was boneheaded.
5
Amazing. We will see who laughs last when all these business owners, wanting cheap labor, find their businesses taken over by a socialist state. Have you looked at what the progressive Democrats are now saying they want in their Green New Deal? You really are not paying attention to history.
Michael Dukakis tried this a few decades ago, and lost.
Bravo Governor! Viva California!!
9
The reason illegal immigration statistics are down since 2006 is because of the extensive walls that were built, often by Democrats, since then. Walls work and they are far more affordable than employing tens of thousands of security guards indefinitely, or manning expensive high tech "solutions" (which only exist in fantasy). I live in LA and I'm so tired of the propaganda and ideological lies in the Nytimes about illegal immigration. It IS a problem. As someone who's lived in LA for nearly 50 years, it is a big problem on so many levels.
1
Yay! Immigration Makes America Better Again.
2
Californians,
Your state is in ruins. Your US citizens live in tents on the streets, or they literally live on the streets. Yet your governor is talking about giving free healthcare and free entries to illegal immigrants. Your businesses suffered from tons of environmental regulations, yet your air is full of smogs and your forests and hills burn brighter every year. You brag about your economy being 6th largest in the world, yet you have the most poor people.
5
@Ex-leftwinger We can't help it that poor people come here from the rest of the US because of our weather. In any case, Orange County is gorgeous. I was at the beach in San Clemente this afternoon and everyone there seemed chill!
Air quality is great, at least where I live thanks to California's strict pollution standards.
12
Please do tell us of the many virtues of the land you hail from.
7
He does not care.
President Trump should immediately nationalize the National Guard in any state that continues to work against border security.
5
What about ‘states’ rights’?
11
@Rolf
Right you are. Trump is nationalizing the National Guard in Sweden as we speak to hold off the Danish invasion. Skoal
4
OK, Rolf, what is the need for that? He can just use US Army troops as he always threatens. The Trump administration is out of touch with reality, as usual.
2
For a better and more efficient world, everyone who gets things done should simply ignore Trump, including the military. Just for two years--we can wobble our way through without him until 2020.
12
@globalnomad
Yes, yes, yes, and yes. Well spoken.
2
The wall, according to your despotic president, is to prevent migrants from reaching U.S. soil and claiming refugee hearings.
But the wall will create American enclaves outside the wall on the Mexico side.
That means migrants who reach those easily accessible enclaves are eligible for hearings, right?
1
Living on the East Coast, I'm not familiar with the new Calif governor, but from this tidbit, it seems he was a good choice.
17
Immediately cut the California National Guard's operating budget and then redirect the funds to other national guard units that are willing and able to do the mission.
It is fairly simple to do and even simpler to understand.
2
Democrats want open borders. No one should question it. It’s simply true—and they should just admit it.
4
Republicans seek out, welcome and get elected due to the support of neo-Nazis, the Klan, white supremacists and anti-government militia groups. Republicans run explicitly racist and anti-Semitic campaigns. It’s simply true—and they should just admit.
7
With all respect, the often repeated Dem's talking point that is also repeated in this article "Several studies indicate that crime rates are lower among immigrants than among native-born Americans." says nothing about illegal immigrants.
We have no idea how many illegal immigrants there might be - estimates range from 10-20 million across the entire country. Such a study could not estimate the probability of crime given whether someone is an illegal immigrant without knowing that total number. Such estimates would be even less accurate at the state and local level, where the uncertainty about total number of illegal immigrants is much greater.
6
Thank you Governor Newsom for recognizing a non-crisis and deploying the Guard where they are most needed.
I don't even care if Newsom ends up making a few mistakes in his tenure. He took bold action in SF by issuing marriage licenses to gay couples before it was legal. I look forward to continued bold actions from our governor.
My only wish is that he be as responsible with our budget as his predecessor, the great Jerry Brown.
17
How do they know there were 62,000 undetected crossings in 2016 or 851,000 in 2006... if they were undetected?
7
Thank you, Governor Newsom. Our nation's National Guard has far more important things to work on than Trump's phony "border security". Mexico is not "invading" us. To treat refugees and immigrants as criminals is flat-out wrong, and as un-American as it gets.
Trump may as well surround Mar A Lago with the National Guard, seeing as how unpopular he is becoming.
15
Bravo, Gov. Newsom. Call these bluffs every single day.
17
Why don't we go back to the 'open borders' we had before 1925?...google it.
What's the problem?
Or am I missing something here?
@Kenneth Johnson
I'm guessing "yes".
There's another piece in today's NYT that says,
"As the number of migrant families in recent months has overwhelmed the government’s detention facilities,"
If illegal immigration is down, why would government detention centers be overwhelmed?
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/08/us/border-wall-states.html?action=click&module=Top+Stories&pgtype=Homepage
4
Because they are coming for asylum and have to wait in detention centers
1
They are overwhelmed because the current “administration” makes it so. To wit, separating the children at the border from their parents and not keeping any records or documentation so that they can be reunited is a catastrophe of this administration’s own making. With management such as this it’s a wonder the government is even functioning, if it actually is functioning. It is difficult to tell with all of the lying.
2
In the spirit of defying Trump, he should also tear down the California portion of the current wall, especially since walls are inhumane and don’t work anyways.
3
I’m a Democrat. The Governor is wrong. He’s grandstanding and is far too left. How about focusing helping California with the money from the state lottery for education racking on hopefully the millions with accountability and get some into the schools. How about the money from the additional gas tax for roads which have never been worse or improved one bit. How about being for legal immigration not illegal immigration. He’s not going to be president down the road but he’s sure looking like that’s his goal.
45
@Elias
As Jerry Brown wrote last year, "there is no massive wave of migrants pouring into California. Overall immigrant apprehensions on the (California) border last year (in 2017) were as low as they’ve been in nearly 50 years.
Illegal immigration is mostly from overstayed visas.
A fake crisis from a fake President is hardly the fake leadership that will Make America Great Again.
421
@Elias
Did you read the piece? Illegal immigration is down by an enormous amount compared to what it used to be, so what is the rational of deploying the national guard on the border?
232
@Elias
Spending money to fight drug trafficking, fires, and providing for efficient border control, is it " too far to the left"??
206
They wish to redirect some of the National Guard to helping stop drug trafficking....... 10 bucks says 150 of those 150 will wind up back at the border fighting drug trafficking.
Hopefully, they’ll go towards to fighting home-grown meth labs.
5
We need to send troops to Mar-A-Lago to round up the criminals who illegally employ these people.
23
“Trump is a liar.” I repeat that phrase every morning in the shower.
9
Either way, the California National Guard is battling illegal aliens. I would prefer that they turn them back at the border, but California would rather deal with them in the streets of L.A.
8
If California is so passionate to asylum seekers then perhaps they should pay for it and house them all. Anyone caught at the border gets a one way bus trip to California, outside of California they get deported.
6
Maybe he should just open the border, make his voters happy.
2
We definitely have a border crisis. There are too many Republicans (Russian sympathizers) within out borders. We need to forcibly relocate them back to Russia where they belong. Anyone who disagrees with this is obviously a Republican/Russian collaborator.
11
Too bad we can't give the governor what he wants and funnel all illegals and the associated crimes and drugs into California.
The problem is we don't have a wall to keep them in California.
3
When the federal govt fails or is absent, the state needs to step up. Thank you California
15
The National Guard is for emergencies. The border is not an emergency.
22
About time. Thank you Gov. Newsom. Redirecting the Guard to more pressing issues is the right thing to do. After all, trump could care less about California. What did he say while wildfires were ravaging the state a few months ago? "Poor forest management and not cleaning the forest floors like they do in Finland is the cause of the fires." Give me a break. I'm glad someone with more than half a brain is running California. Wish I could say the same about the Country.
21
For those who oppose the barrier and troops, what is your position? Open borders? Eliminate ICE? Is it fair to those who go through legal immigration to support illegal immigration also?
5
A risk may be that this pullout will be used to justify declaring a bogus emergency.
1
Good for Gov. Newsom! Sooner or later Trump will realize that he is only president of his base — not president of the United States.
12
This is an abject failure in governance ,from crime to taxation has been devastating to the citizens of CA. Yet still they're blinded by hatred of a President who may only improve the lives of CA citizens.Much of the tax base is getting lost ,wealth is leaving because of the socialist enterprise the CA politicians are promoting. The plastic Hollywood media is a hoax ,hiding the depth of the social catastrophe found every day on the streets of the states cities caused by the politicians who do not support their own citizens but an invasion at the border and a danger to the rest of the Nation.
5
Funny, you are in PA trying to tell me I am devistated. I am in California and I can assure you that I am in no way devistated.
12
@Alan Einstoss. Trump's tax law changes have done more to damage Californians than anything else you refer to in your post.
6
"Illegal border crossings have been sharply declining for years. Apprehensions of undocumented migrants by border patrol agents are near historic lows. And undetected crossings have fallen to 62,000 in 2016 from 851,000 in 2006, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Several studies indicate that crime rates are lower among immigrants than among native-born Americans."
This is at the end of the story. I wish it was true but I do not believe it. Where can one go in our dysfunctional journalism world to get at the truth of this matter? At this point it seems like there are thousands of voices saying a lot of things - how do we actually get at the truth? I'm seeing things that say illegals are crossing at huge numbers. Help
3
".. and another 100 will work on statewide “intelligence operations” aimed at international criminal drug gangs."
"Mr. Newsom is also seeking to expand the state’s Counterdrug Task Force with 150 National Guard troops, which would require funding from the Department of Defense."
This really bugs me.. I don't want "part-time" national guard troops involved in criminal investigations of any kind..
Do we not have local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to handle this type of thing?
It's just another agency in the task pool.. what a convoluted mess!
3
Agreed! Soldiers are not policemen, but many seem to fall for the idea that they are.
3
Initially, the Border Patrol welcomed assistance from the Guard because they believed they were overextended. And the suggestion that the law enforcement activities of the CBP were somehow dishonorable was obviously offensive. But now the CBP is opposed to National Guard assistance because it is basically useless. So the political argument here is fun and games for the politicians. The real issue is a practical one— the Guard is not providing meaningful assistance.
41
@michjas
Did anyone expect that Trump's publicity stunt would provide assistance?
16
@Dan,
Ain't that just like a southerner.
Getting angry because some of us can read up on and then speak lucidly on a subject.
We Northerners like reading and then using the facts we read, to easily make fox viewers look dumb.
Sorry.
8
@michjas
"...the guard is not providing meaningful assistance."
Trump's intent was to have them act as tho they were Border Patrol employees, which they could not be.
3
How discouraging to the majority of Americans who want the border protected--we are guaranteed by the Constitution to be protected against "invasion"--to see these sanctuary state governors roll over and allow illegals to run roughshod over citizens.
There are 22 million illegals in the country now: at what point does this crisis constitute something that even Democratic politicians take notice of?
23
Most don’t want the fence.
27
@King Regis
The uncomfortable fact for people claiming that Americans don’t want a wall is that 76% of Americans agree with Trump on immigration and border security.
That alone should scare Democrats into rational thought, but we can’t expect the impossible.
12
@RE Ellis - Your estimate is in line Trump's statement of 30 million and with his guess of 18 million undocumented receiving federal benefits.
Apparently, you (and many of your confreres) can't count. The last, best estimate I have seen is that there are 11 million undocumented in the US, down from 12-13 million a few years ago.
16
California truly needs their guard troops in helping with the states fires, mudslides and drug gangs.
Our southern and northern borders need policing but building walls is not the answer in today's world.
70
@BTO . I'm curious. What is the solution? The current barriers and walls do a good job of keeping out people. Is it your contention that more would be less?
6
@Ernest Montague No one is saying that walls in certain areas don't have their place. But, there is such a thing as diminishing returns. At a certain point, walls prevent so few additional crossings that spending the money on other methods is a more efficient use of limited resources. So, yes, more can be less.
9
A multifaceted approach: drones and sensors that can accurately direct efficient border patrol teams to migrants, citizenship verification requirements for all employers, a reduction in available social benefits for illegal crossers (and, perhaps advertising the availability of these same benefits for those who follow the proper immigration protocols), and—perhaps most importantly—a multinational effort to openly develop those nations from which the migrants depart due to poor social and economic conditions.
3
Fear mongering as a political strategy never works long term. In this day of instant fact checking, on the ground reporting which is instantly broadcast across the world, and the ability of us all to use our reason and research makes 45's use of it a very short term strategy. Now that tax returns are smaller not larger, I'm very interested to see what happens next; or is it really true that 45's supporters are happy to support him literally? Gov. Newsom knows his base and has his own moral compass. He absolutely made the right call.
67
in your opinion.
@bored critic
Well, of course in her opinion. That's what this NYTimes response column is about.
6
Seems sensible. Better to train national guard units to fight fires than have them standing around kicking rocks at the border. If you asked which activity was a better use of my federal tax dollars, I'd definitely say fighting fires. Fewer or smaller fires in California actually improves air quality in Utah. There's a tangible benefit to my federal tax expense.
Spending money on border security doesn't help me at all. If there are illegal immigrants here, I haven't noticed. I'm not going to ask my neighbors for their papers. Not my problem. I only ask they shovel their walks and keep the noise down. Our problems almost always come from white homeless or slum landlords. It's a local police problem regardless. The National Guard isn't helping anything.
56
As a vet, its so nice to see the military become overtly politicized. Even happier to see our Generals sitting on the sidelines, apparently unable to say, "We happen to be fighting seven wars and the needless diversion of military assets in placing those missions at risk. Please use the extensive resources of other agencies to fill these requirements."
Thankfully, I am a vet and no longer have to explain to our troops why something obvious frivolous is, in 'fact,' terribly important.
10
The border crisis is very real and a clear and present danger - if you live in Montana or North Dakota. Not so much if you actually live in a border state. None of the members of Congress whose districts are along the California, Arizona, New Mexico or Texas borders with Mexico favors a wall. The people of El Paso wish Trump would stay away.
66
@John Kendall
Montana and North Dakota are both border states.
4
“It will not be a mission to round up women and children or detain people escaping violence and seeking a better life,”
That is such a stupid statement. There's a much better house near mine that I would love to live in but it's got a big high wall all around it so I can't. Duh. Best thing for me is to fix up my own and it would probably be good for me too.
9
I’m wondering how many of your family members have to be murdered in front of you in your current residence to make you want to leave. That is the reality many of these immigrants are facing in their home countries. I know because I have read many of their statements and the accompanying overwhelming supporting evidence.
Do you really think the immigrants just want a bigger house? Do you honestly think a mother wants to walk thousands of miles carrying her 4 month old child for a bigger house? Do you think these immigrants have not tried to make things better in their home countries?
Please have a little compassion. Your post makes my heart ache for anyone near you in need.
What kind of "national emergency" exists when the feckless Commander-in-Chief spends most days playing golf ?
And when the elected officials of border states and cities completely disagree ?
Call his bluff.
I am so tired of his incompetence, sociopathy, and ridiculousness.
28
The abiding delusion of the people who hate immigrants is that the rest of us hate immigrants as much as they do.
They have it upside down: we hate the haters as much as they hate immigrants. If not more.
17
California's Newsom follows New Mexico's Lujan-Grisham, another border state. Michelle Lujan-Grisham's quote: a "charade of border fear-mongering. She's right to call it what it is.
https://www.npr.org/2019/02/06/691937342/n-m-governor-pulls-national-guard-from-border-citing-a-charade-at-federal-level
13
We haven't seen any attacks at the border from these vicious throngs of immigrant caravans trump keeps talking about. To liar we can add delusional.
22
Thank you, California!
20
Good move.
California has more to fear from PG&E than from illegal immigration. After all, PG&E don't rake.
17
One comment by a Trump supporter here claims people who live near the US-Mexico border have been "paid by drug money to oppose the wall." Really, millions of people from San Diego to El Paso..."paid by drug money to oppose the wall."
Trump is running a totalitarian cult, and "The Wall" is a test of loyalty for his cultists. How blindly will you follow Dear Leader?
19
Trump and his GOP enablers are going to see more push back from more quarters . Speaker Pelosi stood up the bully and imbued others with her courage. It will expand and accelerate too as GOP elected politicians realize their ship is taking on water. Of course Trump will be come increasingly desperate and that puts the world in jeopardy.
18
Hopefully all the States will follow the lead of these two courageous Governors!
18
Hi! Could you change your language in the last sentence? By "native-born Americans" I am assuming you are referring to people born in the US but not necessarily of indigenous/Native American heritage. I would suggest changing it to "people born in the US". Using native to describe non-native people erases native people still alive in this country. Also, its confusing.
7
@Mallory Technically, no people are "native" to North America.
2
get a grip and get over it. your parsing and wordsmithing is what. continues the issues of race, not solve it.
2
@Mallory
Very true.
1
"Illegal border crossings have been sharply declining for years. Apprehensions of undocumented migrants by border patrol agents are near historic lows. And undetected crossings have fallen to 62,000 in 2016 from 851,000 in 2006, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Several studies indicate that crime rates are lower among immigrants than among native-born Americans."
I don't know why NYT bothers publishing all these researched facts, when we have Pres Blabbermouth telling us what to believe instead; no doubt devised by the "research department" of Breitbart and its staff of a single 10-year-old.
I remember when the National Inquirer was considered a joke by most of us, and those who bought it were looked down upon for being foolish and gullible. Now it advises the president and about 30% of our population. Oh, for the good old days to return!
And then there's always the idea of actually fixing the immigration system, with which nearly all of these problems would disappear and we'd have no need of any new wall. Trump even said during the campaign that he was going to fix it (no plan or details of course). But I supposed I shouldn't hold my breath until he keeps THAT campaign promise.
12
Mr. President. A wall in the 21st century? Hmmm. Airplanes, boats, tunnels, steps, ladders .... How about installing some slats or bricks in some vulnerable areas, but spending the lion's share on technology, drones, and border agents. I know you won't get the personal monument that floats your boat but you'll catch more of your bogeymen. And please don't look at the stats that show a long-term (as in: before you) steady decline in illegal crossings. If you do, you might want to come up with another distraction.
16
When one dissects this, are we really that far away from being like Venezuela? All non-essential troops should be withdrawn from the border immediately and, if a greater security presence is needed, more Border Patrol personnel should be hired. Oh wait, soon the government will be shut down again so that won’t work! What a mess we’re in.
MAHA. Make America Hate Again.
10
California, home to one third of the US’ food stamp collectors, better hope like heck Trump doesn’t figure out a way to ensure Federal funds are distributed based on population of people here legally.
They will be singing an entirely different tune.
14
@Ken
We also send more in federal taxes than we get back. Unlike many red states.
7
@Ken People in this country illegally aren't eligible for food stamps.
7
@Ken
Go ahead and let him do it--we pay more than we get back from the feds.
6
Conservatives have gone whole hog at lying about a border crisis. The newest person to toss aside his integrity is Dan Crenshaw, a former SEAL and former man of integrity. Where will the lying about this border issue end?
8
Trump needs to realize that National Guard troops are not his lackeys!
11
I really, really, really love you, California.
Excellent.
16
We are already winning since Mexicans are trying to get into the US, not otherwise, but after 8 years of Trump that might change.
1
@ZL
Dream on. Trump may not last til the end of 2019.
Next up on the indictment list, Don Jr and Jared.
3
Thank goodness Governors are standing up to The Con Man and Chief because Mitch McConnell is a party before country coward.
Sex education, civics, impeachment and conviction .
The Senate Majority Politburo Leader and twenty republican members from his gang of The Con Man enablers can stop this misery.
Democrats must begin impeachment proceedings yesterday. The Con Man in Chief is a complete lunatic who is not qualified for any government position . Donald is not educated and is a heathen . Incapable of love or kindness. And those who voted for him because of greed, party affiliation are simply added to the mass of uneducated heathens. Education is the answer to many of our sins. History taught in school should inform our children that black face is improper and harmful . Sex education should educate our sons and daughters that no one should touch their private parts including their father ,brother ,priest , uncle or doctor. Unfortunately many of our educational institutions fail to properly cover history , civics and sex education . The Con Man in Chief would not have even been elected by the electoral college had our schools taught civics and sex education . We all know Donald's school curriculum failed to cover sex education or civics.
Mitch McConnell and his gang of enablers must stop the misery(troops at the border extreme detriment to national defense readiness, shutdowns, ripping babies from mothers, fabricated emergencies at the border and lies and lies and lies.
9
Until the human race realizes that nationalism and border are not the answer to solving the problems of unstable countries - many brought to ruin and poverty through direct intervention by the empire of the United States - and start addressing global problems that will destroy us all like global warming and famine and disease - but oh! I forgot....we’re to busy coddling the hyper rich for us to concern ourselves with those truly pressing issues.
8
look at borderless Europe, the EU. how well is that borderless situation working?
4
@bored critic Better than our gun laws do here where we massacre Americans at a pace that leaves the world in awe, four to sixteen times higher than any developed country on Earth, and last I checked their leaders can speak and spell properly.
But not just that, they enjoy free health care, free higher education, better pay parity, and they, unlike us, didn't abandon the Paris Accord for climate change affecting the health of their people and the planet, nor did they abandon their allies to nurse Russian and North Korean dictators as "swell folks" - how's that for starters?
1
The democrats in California are in the forefront at supporting illegal activity. My guess the next plan is to provide amnesty to drug dealers and these national guardsman will be expected to assist in the illegal entry of drugs, as well as the illegal immigrants. The big welcome mats and signs are being made right now, and are being funded by the excessive state income tax.
9
Fear-mongering as a political strategy probably worked better before Google, Twitter, and Instagram not to mention 24/7 live reporting which thanks to aforementioned is instantaneous. That combined with every citizen's ability to research and reason for themselves makes it a really bad move. At this rate it won't be long before all but the most racist or stupid understand that they've been duped. Perhaps they're smaller tax returns will be a huge clue, unless they want to literally support him? Gov. Newsom made the right decision, the only morally and politically sound decision California would accept.
9
If the majority of offenders are visa overstays, not people who slip across the borders, why don’t we ever hear a plan that addresses that problem? Not from Trump. And not from Homeland Security. Surely there is a way to track people until they leave voluntarily.
14
A State governed by sobriety and wisdom in the application of resources for public safety, protection, and a sustainable society. The image, hopefully, of the nation's future.
16
Would this contribute to a militarized police force?
Read between the parallel lines.
Democracy is getting weaker.
5
Really good point. Thanks.
1
@s.whether I agree it seems the use of the National Guard must only be used in domestic situations during natural disasters or other imminent public safety issues. If illegal drug enforcement is a problem increase the man power of the DEA.
3
Let’s Make America Better, let’s not waste American taxpayers’ (current and future ones) monies on a trump wall, which is nothing more than a vanity and advertising board for trump and his real estate businesses. We must pour monies and political will to bolster our border security throughout America and to help make Dreamers American citizens.
17
This is classic Newsom. He helped lose the presidential elections when he insisted on "doing the right thing" and legalizing gay marriage. Was he doing the right thing for the gay community or was he doing the right thing for Gavin? Gavin governs for the news cycle, not because it's the right thing to do. No worse than Trump.
6
@AK - Newsom helped pave the way for marriage equality, an important achievement.
3
Texas has had National Guard troops on the southern border since mid-April. The cost runs up in at least two ways. Guard troops are "weekend warriors" who have normal jobs. If they are away from those jobs, their employer has to get someone else to do the work AND when the Guardsman comes home, he must (by law) be given his job back!
The last time this chicanery was pulled, Governor Abbott tried to get the Federal Government to "repay" the state. They refused.
15
@Pat You've overlooked an additional cost. Many people earn less from their National Guard service than from their regular jobs. So, they are incurring a personal cost while "defending" against a non-existent threat.
8
California has the 5th largest economy on Earth, behind only the U.S. itself, China, Japan and Germany. Its economy is larger than that of the United Kingdom.
Brexit Schmexit. California should declare independence and instantly become the most influential democracy on the planet.
22
@Al Reese
We'd have the not so small problem of no sovereign currency.. What we need is more fair representation per population at the federal level and those last holdout states need to reign in their electoral college so its more representative of the popular vote..
4
Illegal border crossings declining for years, yes indeed. Good for our new governor. Plenty of other issues that affect many residents need to be addressed.
13
Thank you governors for recognizing the truth on the border. This “emergency” is part of a bigger plan by the Trumpists and Bannonists to concentrate power in the executive and whip up right nationalist support while distracting from pro-Russian foreign policy moves and multiple investigations. Complicity is not acceptable.
18
Using the National Guard to to police the citizens of California is alarming in a democracy. Why are not the local police performing these duties? Something is seriously wrong there.
5
I believe our natural environment needs more aide. We've already lost plenty of nature, we can't afford to lose more.
7
If we can find a sensible way to address Overstayed Visas, a large proportion of illegal immigration will vanish.
Case 1: Imagine, you come to visit relatives already in the US. You find a work opportunity. You want to keep working - but to do so legally, you must leave, wait for a visa, and come back. Easier path - just stay, work and hope it all works out.
Case 2: Imagine, you want to come to the US to work. You find funds to visit a consulate and apply for a visa. And wait. And wait. ... see case 1 above.
Let’s fix the mismatch. Let’s figure out how to match willing workers with the jobs that need them. Legally.
12
Is it legal for National Guard troops to " fight " domestic drug gangs? Sounds rather disquieting.
8
Even the military is saying troops at the border is harming our readiness. Troops are missing training and less trained troops are having to take in their duties.
56
I guess the Generals really are in Trump's back pocket after all. They no longer have the integrity and the honor they once had. They've gone to the dark side with Trump.
3
Blatant racism–driven fearmongering may be a hallmark of Trump's leadership but that is not what California is about.
Wildfires are the real threat not people deprived of the basic securities of life looking for a brighter future. Look at the myriads of studies and they all illustrate the economic boons that immigrants inevitably bring once ensconced.
My stepfather's parents originated from Mexico years ago and now their son is a fire Battalion Chief working for Cal–Fire. He protects and serves while our anti-leader president fails to see the benefits of unity across borders or within them. People are people no matter their origin. Maybe it's the wall his immigrant wife put between them that inspires him.
77
@Isaac Jorgensen I have sponsored immigrants from Korea to the US. They entered after receiving an immigrant Visa. Immigrants are not the problem. It's the ones who sneak into this country ahead of those who have applied is where the problems. We still ate a country of laws.
13
@Isaac Jorgensen . If the border is permeable, it's not a border. It's just an ugly fence. The US is doing fine without unimpeded immigration. I'm completely in favor of legal immigration, and I don't care what race or nationality.
However, we live in a world where over two billion people are living in utter and total poverty and squalor. I don't really want to let them all in the US to improve their lives at the cost of mine.
10
You lost me when you dragged Melanie (“his immigrant wife”) into the issue.
Those of us who want to live in this country and world past the next 40 years should be focusing on real problems: debt (back to 1T deficits baby!) and quality of life. Newsom looked at the data and made a decision to prioritize accordingly. If the federal government isn’t working for the people time for a change (and not talking to anyone in the bottom feeder states who take more federal tax than they pay...)
39
Trump should nationalize them all and reassign them. Remember, Kennedy nationalized a state's national guard in order to prevent its governor from defying the President. Alternatively, since CA is lost to Trump he could seek to pull out all federal agencies and leave CA to its own demise.
13
Um, California has the fifth largest economy in the world. We'd be fine but the rest of the nation? Not so much...
24
Sorry, but it’s the other way around. The federal government needs California more than California needs the feds.
28
@Matthew Or maybe we should actually start listening to our citizens who are on the front porch of this issue and who truly know what is going on. They aren't threatened by Trump's fake emergency. They are however, concerned by their loss of livelihood through his use of a wall courtesy of eminent domain.
16
Good for California. This was how the nation's President snubbed them, isn't it? If the government shuts down again this will just nail his coffin closed for the rest of his term and the coming election. Even with his diehard supporters who he is hurting too...yet cannot admit it.
41
Yet drug gangs and wildfires are being fueled by illegals and people moving into the wilderness to escape drug gangs and find safe affordable housing. Many parent companies in California are also opening satellite offices around the nation because American and foreign born workers are complaining about conditions in California. To spite Trump Governor Sanctuary is spiting his state.
9
@Hellen Complete nonsense. They move there mostly because of lifestyle choice or because the cost of living in the cities is too high due to the real national emergency: the gross and ever-growing enormous gap in wealth and income. I'm sure you read one story of someone who said that. Tip: that doesn't make it even an issue.
10
@Hellen
Wildfires in California are largely started by utilities.
https://www.sacbee.com/news/state/california/fires/article221924560.html
9
@Hellen - since you don't live here in CA, let me clue you in to a few things:
1. More drugs are brought in through our ports than at the border.
2. People crossing the border is at the lowest rate than in the past 50 years.
3. Wildfires are not "fueled by illegals." The vast majority of them are started by our own folks.
4. Not sure what wilderness you are speaking about, but if you mean some leaving to go out-of-state, then perhaps that is true for affordable housing, but not b/c of illegals.
5. Regarding satellite offices, not sure what "conditions" you are speaking of. If you speaking about CA taxes, then good riddance to them. I'm fine with our taxes as long as it goes to the causes which promote the welfare of the people and not to line capitalist pockets.
6. Trump is a liar and I would spite him every chance I get.
6
I would like to know what the results of the environmental impact studies are that have been carried out by this administration. Given that trump and his administration have shown such disdain for our environment I won't hold my breath.
18
@CAC - The Trump administration has determined it can and will bypass the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and Migratory Bird Treaty Act. National Geographic published Laura Parker's article which might help:
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2019/01/how-trump-us-mexico-border-wall-could-impact-environment-wildlife-water/
5
The misuse of Guard and Reserve forces has been a national disgrace for decades. These are part timers with civilian careers--who are forced into situations that compromise their lives at the whims of shallow politicians. Units routinely deploy overseas and are used indiscriminately to bondo over political gridlock.
21
Let's get Trump's base behind us for once and for all on this issue, and I think I know how we can do it. Trump himself has benefited enormously from those rapists and murdere...er, I mean illegal immigrants by having been a major employer of them throughout his entire adult life. They have contributed to his incredible wealth by being paid $8/hr. for jobs Trump would have had to pay an American $51/hr. to do, as reported (using heavy equipment), and with no benefits, so more profit for Donald Trump. Trump clearly sees illegal immigration as very good for himself and his business, and isn't his base supposed to support Trump in everything he does? I've certainly not heard a peep from his base about this pretty profound hypocrisy from Trump, including why he's hiring people he says are rapists and murderers. Geez, that's quite a liability he's taken on, hiring rapists and murderers, even given them keys to his buildings and private residences, to wander the hallowed and gilded halls of his properties. Maybe I missed the Trump base argument that, despite actual facts and other actually serious issues, we should blow $5 billion for 200 miles of useless wall BUT build a tunnel which runs directly from Mexico to TrumpCo headquarters with fake documents and job applications in those plexiglass flier holder things on the walls of the tunnel. We can call it, "The King's Prerogative Tunnel".
24
In reading many of the comments it is quite apparent that Trump, in is quest to be the best and greatest President is succeeding on accomplishing another quest-that of being a despot.
One of the acts a up and coming despot, or dictator, will do is find an enemy, an enemy that will galvanize and incite his/her supporters, an enemy that can be punished and belittled with little concern about ones morals and ethics.
Trump has found that boogeyman-the peoples from south of our border. He has painted those people as criminals-rapists, drug dealers and human traffickers (it is a given that some are). There are accusations they carry diseases (ignoring the anti-vaccination crowd here). One commenter in this forum has gone as far as to compare those people to animals when it comes to fencing our highways to prevent us from hitting animals.
And, with the lack of any belief in facts that may sway ones beliefs concerning Trump's boogeymen, the Trump supporters march on and direct their outrage about immigration to within our borders by parroting Trump's adolescent insults.
In my 70 years I have witnesses the race riots of days gone by, and the violence perpetrated by the white community on the minorities. We have gone full circle as we have allowed a charlatan to pollute our minds and practice our ugly discrimination-again.
42
@Dan----------------------Bravo, Dan!
3
@Dan
The White House will be disinfected after he's dragged out, yes?
On a positive note, don't forget that he's done us the favor of coaxing his aptly-yclept "base" out from under the rocks where we can recognize and remember them after he's gone.
1
More Trumplies and distortions offered as facts. I’ve reached the point where I no longer can tolerate NPR, who takes millions from the Koch brothers. Anyone who thinks they are doing anything other than buying influence is delusional.
Even the Times in this story isn’t being honest, they just can’t bear to call out Trump lies and over and over print lies as one side of an argument as if they were facts.
3
Let's first build a wall around Trump Resort Properties to see if that stems the tide of undocumented workers pouring into our country.
Donald Trump is the single largest employer of undocumented workers in America so let's try the walk out on his properties first.
31
We need a new President. Trump is in way over his head, and he lost the popular vote by over three million votes.
21
This is a matter of exercising "States Right's." What Conservative could disagree?
38
While he is defying Trump, he should tear down the wall too!!
9
@Qcell. Says the person on an island.
California is a mess. With 2-3 million illegal immigrants, the centers of L.A. and S.F. littered with needles, garbage and people sleeping on sidewalks and a governor who wants to give illegals free Medicare. The state government wasn't satisfied with sanctuary cities they proclaimed being a sanctuary state. Now Newsom is defying Trump with this National Guard withdrawl. He should start cleaning up S.F. where he was mayor during the defacing of the city center.
24
@OldTimer Oh I'm pretty sure there are way more illegal immigrants if you ask those who was on the continent first... And what's the problem with starting the clean-up at the border? Those men and women are clearly more needed elsewhere.
8
@OldTimer
With $8B saved for hard times, California is in better shape that any state in the union.
The line pushed by Republicans that California is in terrible shape and that 4 million people have left it has been proven a lie by California's great economic shape and the fact that since 2000 the state has a gained 6 million people.
The truth is that California has proven a disaster only for Republican congressmen, and that's a good thing given the dismal state the GOP is in.
57
@OldTimer Governors do not control one penny of Medicare. That is a federal program for people over 65 who paid into it their entire working life, and those who are medically disabled. I am also wondering where you got the data that it was immigrants that defaced the S.F, city center.
33
Trump just complains and whines no matter what you do, so you might as well tell him and his nutty ideas to get lost. Good for the governor.
91
California has a wall. The media showed 2 days of riots and breeches there. Walls may not be the solution to boarder security but even as a 30 year voting Democrat the stench of hypocyricy is maddening. This Nation's elected officials (both parties) need to grow up. That begins with recognizing honesty is the only way forward.
18
...breaches...borders...
11
California has alot of problems, and it will get worse. Politicians are incompetent
16
@sal Perhaps it is those in the GOP, and one in the White House that are incompetent.
California is only facing the reality of continuing to support a failure, and fallacy, of Miller and Trump's "policy".
5
@sal So, what empirical evidence do you base your comment on?
1
California should break away from the US and perhaps annex itself to Mexico, problem solved. It's citizens could decide to stay in the remaining US or go.
18
@LK Mott
Such thoughtful compassion for your fellow Americans - very inspiring. That's why we call ourselves the UNITED states.
3
@LK Mott---------------------Good idea, LK, but how about this: CA, Oregon and Washington could link themselves together and annex the three of themselves to Canada!
5
In fact, California and Arizona and New Mexico and Texas and Colorado WERE Mexico. Deal with it.
3
Have we noticed that it's mostly people who don't live anywhere near the border who are the most in favor of a wall?
Ignorance is bliss.
172
@brooklyn
We havent noticed, because thats a lie.
6
@brooklyn I indeed. The same mindset is present when the drums of war are being banged. That also coincides with bone spurs.
32
A Faux News lie? Like the “jobs” created by the Trump administration that has been proven to be the result of Obama era policies and not the huge tax break for the richest 1%?
11
As soon as one of these rightist wizards can explain how a border wall will stop people from flying into America and overstaying their Visas I'll be 100% onboard with Ann Coulter's border wall.
Until then, we blue staters, who ACTUALLY pay this nation's bills, will block Ann Coulter's $30 billion border wall idiocy.
162
@Victorious Yankee well since I have both a J.D. and an M.B.A. I will try to explain it to you in terms that Progressives understand. A wall is a piece of the solution JUST AS PROGRESSIVES ADMIT THAT NO SINGLE PIECE OF LEGISLATION WILL SOLVE ALL GUN VIOLENCE. If, however, your new standard is that if the piece of legislation does not solve all of the (particular) problems then there will be virtually no laws at all.
Is that clear enough for you?
FYI, you blue staters (which I happen to live in) have the highest number of crimes, poverty, economic inequality, and are leaving for red states like TX. Facts matter (except to Progressives)!
10
Studies show that a wall is an inefficient means of border support, and tunnel systems have already been dug in areas where there is an existing physical impediment. Rational tax-paying constituents SHOULD refuse to financially support something that was merely used as a political talking point used by Trump to get him elected by a bigoted, fearful minority. We should instead support thoughtful, fact-based means of border security - more asylum judges, more security at checkpoints, more investigative efforts into Visa overstays, etc. Put the money where it is needed. FYI, what do your degrees have to do with the facts about border security? I am also college educated, but I don't wave that around unless it's directly relevant to the topic at hand.
13
Dr Matthew,
As a degreed Engineer let me explain it so you'll understand. We Progressives don't think that one law will solve ALL our problems. But we do know that Trump's wall (which he DOES profess as the single solution to illegal immigration) will simply be a waste of resources that can be used elsewhere. We need to work on the underlying causes.
18
That's great .More future Democrats are needed for their power base in California.
11
Not needed as long as California Republicans continue to self-destruct themselves into oblivion.
2
There are many things that drive sane people crazy about trump and his worshipers but the top of the list has to be their complete disregard of facts. Not opinion or ideas. Not plans or hopes. Those you expect to argue over. But facts. First something was high but now its low. Illegal Boarder crossing have been declining for years, not increasing. Boarder towns, like El Paso, have low crime rates, not high crime rates. Provable facts that have no impact on the true believers at all. That is truly the creepiest thing about trump and his followers
148
Has there ever been an American president who was bent on manufacturing a fake crisis while ignoring real ones (like the rampant gun ownership) that contributes to the violence Americans commit on other Americans?
71
@james
Bush's Iraq war and weapons of mass destruction comes to mind. Thousands of Americans killed or injured. Hundreds of billions of dollars wasted.
7
Fire fighting is a skilled and hazardous occupation. Specialized skills are also required to enforce drug laws.
The government might want to ask members of the National Guard whether they knew that they were signing up for such activities when they joined. He may find that it is more difficult to fill the ranks of the Guard in the future.
14
This is a very thoughtful comment from the fellow from the commenter from Vermont about the true nature of the National Guard in California or elsewhere. Fighting deeply entrenched international drug cartels is *very* complicated and dangerous as is fighting fires. However frequently they — both the fires and drug cartels — intersect with illegal grows that actually start fires. Still it makes me uneasy as a full time job or assignment. Let’s hope wisdom prevails with all of this in the end.
3
@ERP - Support, communications, surveillance and logistics absorb many bodies. Except for specialized equipment maintenance, running a fire camp is much the same as running a military base.
@ERP
The same could be asked about the hose deployed to the southern border. My son is in the Nationals Guard and is currentlly deployed in the Mideast. He didn’t sign up to string razor wire in Texas although he would gladly fight wildfires or drug activity.
3
If California continues to make its own foreign policy, the President should consider federalizing the Cal. National Guard, as President Eisenhower did in Little Rock. A State does not conduct its own foreign relations.
13
@Mike Livingston Sir, please explain how California is making its own foreign policy? Are the state's politicians conducting diplomacy, signing treaties?
Please, enlighten us.
Second, the federalization of the National Guard in Arkansas was a completely different circumstance.
38
@Mike Livingston I for one am happy we're swinging our big stick. We're done feeding and financing the country with little voice.
13
@Mike Livingston
The Army can’t interfere in domestic affairs nor do any policing.
The Republicans screamed states rights for years, where are those calls now?
Federalizing the guard would cut into Trump’s executive time too.
12
As Donald J. Trump continues to expand the rift between his America within America and the rest of the country, the men and women in service to the country are the ones to watch. Trump has caused more than enough damage to the moral, social and governance fiber of the United States and, yet, his 52 million or so loyalists and enablers stand by him' including, boots on the ground military personnel.
Most Americans and the global community dismiss the danger in this partnership for now. The key sign that Trump's autocratic oligarchy is firmly embedded as the new system of governance will be the day military personnel defy orders and stand by Trump. Example: a governor pulls the National Guard and a contingent among them refuse to budge to show their loyalty to Trump not the country since they are not synonymous for the first time in American history.
15
Trump has never been constrained by reality.
82
It is no coincidence that Trump is pulling this right before the date of the next threatened shutdown and his doing it just before the midterm elections last fall. This is Trump, per usual, abusing his power, exploiting human beings, manipulating his gullible base. Again, the question is: Where are the Republicans (who would, rightly, impeach a Democratic president who behaved this way)?
60
I've been on earth for almost 51 years, born and raised in this country.
I've never been afraid of our friends who live south of our southern border and never will be.
I have been to Mexico several times...Rosarito, Tijuana, Nogales...don't see the big deal...friendly, welcoming people. The emergency is in Washington, D.C.
199
@Scott Franklin
You go there to spend money, right? You always return? You don't plan to stay? You're confusing immigration with tourism.
The Russians don't need to help Donald Trump. He'll win in 2020 on issues such this. Even Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton said they were for border security. The troops are there in lieu of a wall. You're for neither, as it turns out.
10
@Scott Franklin. Your happy tourism flies in the face of the Mexican crime rate which far exceeds that of the US. And the Mexican homicide rate is five times that of ours. The State Dept. advises Americans not to visit multiple Mexican states. Your limited travel has left you with a misleading sense of security.
BTW, I too have done some Mexican tourism and I also felt safe. But it depends on where you go.
13
@sthomas1957
There you go again, conflating border security (which everyone favors), with Mr. Trump’s construction project.
A wall is not border security. In the case of the National Butterfly Center, which is being bulldozed for The Wall, it isn’t even on the border.
13
"Mr. Trump initially thanked Mr. Brown for the deployment...But to the confusion of many Californians, Mr. Trump later blasted the governor..."
AND THIS is why it's virtually useless to try dealing with Trump and why he'll never build support outside of his "base." One hand giveth while the other taketh away. There's no praise without punishment. It's not just "to the confusion" of Californians but the nation and world as well.
Trump cannot unify. He doesn't, or can't, understand how to bring others around to his point of view. A word of thanks not immediately reciprocated might be a sign of weakness. Any facade of cooperation melts within hours, not because of the resistance of others, but because he lacks the ability to take a long view and the self restraint to keep his mouth shut.
It's generally not in our overall interests to want a president to fail from the outset... well, except for Mitch McConnell, who tried to do just that when Obama was elected. However, only by decisions to act for the nation's benefit, rather than acceding to his demands, can we stem the waste of time, money, and potentially lives, resulting from Trump's singular and myopic efforts to rule by fiat.
Thanks, Governors Newsom and Grisham. Your "rebukes" are small but important steps.
173
@SMKNC
It wouldn't hurt to have a foreign policy that actually helped people in places like Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador overcome their wretched lives.
3
California and New Mexico. Do note that's half of the border states. Note too that all of the members of the House of Representatives representing border districts oppose the wall, Democrats and Republicans alike. Tells us something about how the folks on the front line of Trump's pseudo crisis feel.
151
@Jim Cornelius They are paid by drug money to oppose the wall.
2
@Hellen
Please document this remark. What are your sources (facts, not Fox News.)
2
Another silly comment with no supporting evidence whatsoever.
Thanks for contributing to the conversation.
1
There is something fundamentally wrong when half the country sees no problem with open borders and people crossing into the country illegally.
16
@Chris Appears you might have missed a few of the very important statics that supports the governor's decision. Truthfully, I trust reports about the border and our need for comprehensive border security from anyone other than Donald Trump or his band of grifters. His call for a wall is a political stunt, and I, frankly, think there is something fundamentally wrong with an American citizen persecuting immigrants from their comfy armchair and falling in line with the likes of this lying, cheating, and vicious man-child, Donald Trump. He can't go away fast enough for me and my family.
132
@Chris What is fundamentally wrong is this: 1) half the country seems unaware that seeking asylum in the US is not illegal; 2) half the country seems unaware that illegal crossings are at their lowest rate since the 1970s; 3) a third of the country (Trump followers) has no issue with Trump himself having been a major employer of illegal immigrants...even as they rant and rage about illegal immigrants and accusing half the country of seeing nothing wrong with it. Trump saw nothing wrong with it and in fact saw a lot right with it...for his own bank account; 4) a third of the country and Republicans seem to lack the intellectual honesty and integrity to acknowledge some fundamental truths, starting with the fact that there is no crisis at the southern border; 5) a third of the country doesn't seem to care about a US president abusing his power and his troops by using them for political props and as a means to manipulate Congress and the American people to get what he wants; 6) a third of the American people hear only what they want to hear.
112
@Chris,
I'd take an immigrant over a trump supporter any day of the week.
81
So any border enforcement is racist? Was President Obama racist, too?
14
@EJ Yes, President Obama deported 2 million illegal immigrants. To do that, there were a series of actions taken that included court appears, tracking, and eventual deportation. That is vastly different from Trump's zero-tolerance policies and his abusive treatment of human beings. No one is saying we shouldn't address illigeal immigration, we're just saying we must not treat human beings with hateful rhetoric, vicious name-calling and dangerous acts that harm, and in some cases, kills people. I long for the days of the preisdency of President Barak Obama.
108
This is just a political stunt to get national recognition. President Trump hold the line.
7
@R.Kenney,
No.
After funding most of the worthless south and laughable midwest with California's tax revenues, California would like to help itself for a change.
She did suffer some pretty devastating wildfires recently so instead of waisting time on president bone-spurs' racist vanity project Newsome thought his National Guard should be used for actual good.
22
@R.Kenney Completely agree, this is why he broadcasted what he was planning to do before doing it.
2
Trump has worked very hard to create the illusion that there is a crisis at the border, but like most autocrats, he has discovered that there are limits to his powers.
His backyard magic act only persuades people with a bent for finding diabolical conspiracies in ordinary events.
89
Thank heavens for the progressive voices.
Newsom is doing the right thing, as is Grisham of NM. Let's hope all the governors follow suit and send that pointed message back to D.C. California needs its Guard right now, as they are experiencing real issues to combat, not orange-fever-dream-concocted ones.
103
It is encouraging to the majority of citizens of the United States that more and more public leaders and figures are refusing to enable the idiotic policies from Trump. The duty of the National Guard is to keep Americans safe during times of crisis. It was never intended that the Guard should be used during a Trumpian fantasy.
All forms of media need to do a better job of reporting the facts and refusing to publish the lies being spewed daily by Trump.
264
Thank you, Gov. Newsum, for implementing the will of the majority of California voters, who don’t support demonization of the immigrants at our border, The separation of children from their family, or the outright lie by POTUS that a border wall will significantly reduce drug importation or keep us safer from a marauding heed of rapists and murderers.
231
@James Osborne He is no demonizing immigrants, he is demonizing illegal invaders here to take advantage of America's weak security and tug at our heartstrings.
7
@Billy Heartstrings? Lazy people collecting welfare? (prior post)
You're quite the anachronism.
13
As a resident of our nation's most populous state, with so many competing critical priorities, this is exactly the right move. We need to address real challenges, not those created by the orange carnival barker simply to rile his base. We need OUR federal and state government focused on education, infrastructure, environment, healthcare, and the general wellbeing of our people. We have a major labor shortage in California and the country - we need immigration and better policies to facilitate cross-border movement.
310
@Billy
Provide data, or else you're just sitting at home collecting recommendations on the NYT site. No one is just sitting at home collecting welfare as a lifestyle choice. And, by "no one" I mean a significant statistical sample, not anecdotal "evidence."
12
@Billy
How do you know?
7
@Billy
yeah.
and per rata, the biggest recipients of "liberal" social programs are poor whites in red states. (who vote against their own economic self interest.)
8