CNN Lou Dobbs Tonight - Transcript

CNN Lou Dobbs Tonight - Transcript
4/12/2005

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PILGRIM: Thanks very much. Casey Wian.

Well, my next guest says the lack of security along our borders is not just about immigration, but also about national security. Congressman Michael McCaul is a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security and the Committee on International Relations.

And Congressman Michael McCaul joins me tonight from Capitol Hill. Thanks for being with us, sir.

REP. MICHAEL MCCAUL ® TEXAS, HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY: Thank you, Kitty.

PILGRIM: First of all, let me get your reaction to the piece we just ran on the Minuteman Project. What's your view of this? And doesn't it speak to a large issue of U.S. citizens have to take things in their own hands?

MCCAUL: Well, you know, I'm not in favor of any really citizen taking arms in their own hands, taking the law in their own hands. However, I will say I share with their frustration about the lack of the federal government's ability to truly enforce the border. This is becoming a growing issue, as a large number of illegal immigrants come into this country. And quite honestly, Kitty, it's no longer just an immigration issue, it's truly becoming one of national security.

PILGRIM: This long after 9/11, and yet it's not being taken with as much urgency as it should. Why not?

MCCAUL: Well, let me tell you one thing that I've done in my part in the Congress, and that is we took a look at the 9/11 Commission's recommendations with respect to border security. And the intelligence bill that the Congress passed last Congress, authorized additional Border Patrol agents and interior agents and detention beds which are desperately needed. I sent a letter to the Appropriation Committee with the support of 45 members of the Congress to appropriate what the intelligence bill authorized in funding.

PILGRIM: Well, why has the funding not come through?

MCCAUL: Well, right now we're trying to work that out with the committee. It has not been asked for, but it is in my view desperately needed. You have a situation where we had 1.2 million illegal immigrants arrested at the border, just this last year. And for every one person that the Border Patrol catches, they estimate two to three people get into this country. That means we had last year about 3 million illegal immigrants enter this country. That's enough to fill the size of the city of Dallas.

PILGRIM: It's very much noted on this program. How many Border Patrol agents have you requested in addition to what's in force now?

MCCAUL: We requested as authorized under the intelligence bill 2,000 Border Patrol agents and 8,000 detention beds. The reason why the detention space is so important, is that we have, in addition to people from Mexico entering the country, more importantly it's the individuals from other than Mexico. The countries other than Mexico that come into this country.

A repatriation process has to take place, which can take up to two weeks. Because we don't have enough space to detain these people, they are given a notice to appear at a hearing and then released. It's commonly referred to by law enforcement as a catch and release program. They have no place to put these people.

PILGRIM: Is this not the real fundamental flaw of the system?

MCCAUL: I believe it is. And that's why I've been so strong on this issue. As you know, I worked counter-terrorism in the Justice Department. I think the Border Patrol is doing a phenomenal job with the limited resources they have. What we need to do, the Congress needs to do, is step up to the plate and give them the resources they desperately need right now.

PILGRIM: There's been a debate over how porous the Mexican border is to terrorists seeking to undermine the security of the United States?

Is this a big concern of yours? Is this one of your worries?

MCCAUL: It is, because we know the cartel south of the border will take any sort of contraband including human contraband. We know that Middle Easterners have been smuggled. And we know that they can make approximately 15 to $20,000 per person from a special interest alien or someone from the Middle East. This is a growing concern in this country, in fact, Kitty, this is how Ramzi Yousef, the perpetrator of the '93 World Trade Center bombing got into this country. He was given a notice to appear, he quickly threw that piece of paper away because it's worthless and he went downtown-to Manhattan to join the first al Qaeda cell. Then they conspired to blow up the World Trade Center. What we're trying to do is to prevent another one-another Ramzi Yousef-from ever entering this country again.

PILGRIM: Well, Congressman McCaul, we certainly applaud your efforts and thank you very much for taking the time to highlight them on this program. Congressman McCaul.

MCCAUL: Thank you, Kitty. I appreciate it.

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