Texas to Install Web Cameras on Border

[Woodmonkey]

Texas to Install Web Cameras on Border

EL PASO, Texas - The governor of Texas wants to turn all the world into a virtual posse. Rick Perry has announced a $5 million plan to install hundreds of night-vision cameras on private land along the Mexican border and put the live video on the Internet, so that anyone with a computer who spots illegal immigrants trying to slip across can report it on a toll-free hot line. What a great idea. 'They' are always saying they don't have enough people to spot all the illegals, so this would give them all kinds of help spotting people sneaking in here illegally. It would also give citizens who are tired of this going on a way to help stem the flow

"I look at this as not different from the neighborhood watches we have had in our communities for years and years," Perry said last week.

Some say it is a dangerous idea and a waste of money.

"This is just one of those half-baked ideas that people dream up to save money but have no practical applications," said Jim Harrington, director of the Texas Civil Rights Project in Austin. There is nothing "half-baked" about this idea. It is an excellent way to get people involved in securing the safety of their part of the border, helping out the Border Patrol. This is the same thing as people banding together forming neighborhood watches and no one says those are "half-baked" or racist etc. "We would be far better off to invest that money in Mexican small towns along the border so people wouldn't have to emigrate." That would something for the Mexican government to do.

The plan marks a political about-face for Perry, a Republican seeking re-election, who has long argued that security along the state's 1,200-mile border with Mexico is strictly a federal responsibility.

This week, he said cuts in federal homeland security funding, a rise in reports of border violence and the crossing of Mexican soldiers into Texas about two years ago have demonstrated that "Texas cannot wait for Washington, D.C., to act."

Under the plan, announced on the eve of the state GOP convention, cameras and other equipment would be supplied to willing landowners and placed along some of the most remote reaches of the border. The live video would be made available to law enforcement and anyone else with an Internet connection.

Viewers would be able to call day or night to report anything that looks like trespassing, drug smuggling or something else suspicious.

The governor plans to pay for it all with grant money the state already has, and wants the first cameras in place within 30 days.

The Border Patrol already has lots of its own surveillance cameras along the border, but the images are not made available to the public. Border Patrol Chief David Aguilar did not comment directly on the governor's plan Wednesday, but said: "We are looking forward to the opportunity to sit down and discuss it with him to ensure that whatever is done will be aligned with the efforts of the Border Patrol."

Luis Figueroa, an attorney with the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, warned that the cameras could lead to racial profiling and vigilanteism. This is BS.

"This leaves the door open to anyone who has a vindictive state of mind or a racial motive," Figueroa said. "Anyone down there could easily be mistaken and falsely accused of something they didn't do." There they go again labeling people who want illegals (black, white, brown) as racists. More and more people are speaking out against anyone here illegally and what color they are makes no difference.

Harrington said letting the public watch what is essentially a law enforcement search could be illegal.

And T.J. Bonner, president of the union that represents nearly all Border Patrol agents, said the plan could further strain the overworked agency.

"At first blush, it sounds like just another crazy idea that is going to overwhelm the capabilities of the federal government to be able to respond to the number of calls coming in and to the number of reports," Bonner said. "But there is a silver lining: It might just make legislators aware."

Bonner said it won't take smugglers long to figure out where the cameras are.

Connie Hair, a spokeswoman for the Minuteman organization, which patrols the border against illegal immigrants, said access to the video should be restricted to trained volunteers and law enforcement officials, to prevent smugglers from using the equipment to adjust their routes.

But the governor said it will be hard to know where the cameras are just by watching the live Internet video. And if the smugglers do figure it out, the equipment can easily be moved. "This isn't our first rodeo," he said.

The Source

[dynamic_one]

I think it is a good idea. But, rather than be concerned about vindictive people falsly accusing others of wrong doing, I'd be more concerned about pranksters calling attention to areas that aren't being trespassed against, moving the authorities away from areas where actual movement is happening. Better yet, how about calls from people that are purposely trying to send the border patrol away from an area that THEY know a cross over attempt is going to happen. What safeguards will be put in place to assure that call ins are ligitimate? As long as all of this is addressed...No problem.

[Woodmonkey]

Originally Posted by dynamic_one

Better yet, how about calls from people that are purposely trying to send the border patrol away from an area that THEY know a cross over attempt is going to happen. What safeguards will be put in place to assure that call ins are ligitimate? As long as all of this is addressed...No problem.

Good point, Don. That does need to be addressed.

[Bluehawk]

If it helps, then do it, fast like.

[Woodmonkey]

It's one more tool in their arsenal. They should have it.