Federal Drug Monies Used by States for Immigration Enforcement

An El Paso Times analysis of reports from state border security operations shows that border sheriffs are using federal dollars meant to fight drugs and violent crime to enforce federal immigration laws. The reports show Operation Linebacker, the program one state security official called the “cornerstone” of Texas border safety efforts, caught suspected undocumented immigrants seven times more often than it apprehended criminals. Gov. Rick Perry and border sheriffs insist state border security operations are used to deter crime and terrorism, not to enforce federal immigration laws. Yet, the reports do not show even one terrorism-related arrest in six months. The Times, under the Texas Public Information Act, obtained six months of Operation Linebacker reports from the 16 counties receiving federal money for the operation.  Click here for the full story.