MISSION, Texas – President Bush got a tour of border patrol efforts in his home state – a “look-see,” as he called it – before settling down at his vacation home Thursday for a 10-day summer break.
With violence boiling in the Middle East and his party’s control of Congress up for grabs in elections this fall, Bush is forgoing his typical monthlong break from the White House. Instead, he planned to spend 10 days in Crawford, Texas, before returning to work in Washington – his shortest summer vacation since taking office.
The White House was taking pains to make sure it didn’t appear that the president was tuned out from the world’s problems, even temporarily. Bush’s national security adviser and secretary of state were to arrive at Bush’s residence Saturday to discuss a diplomatic resolution to the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah militants in Lebanon.
On the way to Texas from Washington on Thursday, Bush detoured briefly to the U.S.-Mexico border to push his immigration plan, emphasizing the tough enforcement measures that conservatives support. He got an up-close look at several tools the Border Patrol uses to catch people sneaking across – helicopters, a boat and a small plane – and he stopped to pet some horses that are used on old-fashioned patrols.
In a speech on the banks of the Rio Grande River, he spoke of using motion and heat sensors, infrared detection equipment and other high-tech devices to catch illegal immigrants. But he also said those who have been working in the United States long-term should be given a way to pay a fine and become citizens – an idea that is unpopular with his conservative base and has been stalled in Congress.
“We have an obligation to secure our border and we have an obligation to treat people with decency and respect,” the president said after his tour.
Bush said he had fulfilled his promise in May to put 6,000 members of the National Guard into the fight against illegal immigration by Aug. 1. The Guard said Monday that while more than 6,000 guard troops had been assigned to Southwestern border states by the government’s Aug. 1 deadline, only about half were actually on duty along the border and many were still in training.
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