[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 6 (Thursday, January 11, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H394]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        PANCHO VILLA RIDES AGAIN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, I bring you news from the second front: the 
border war continues.
  Ninety years after his example, Pancho Villa would be proud knowing 
that armed banditos from Mexico continue to invade the United States 
border to harass U.S. citizens, and the U.S. Government won't do what 
is necessary to stop this invasion.
  The Associated Press reports on January 3 of this year: gun-toting 
Mexican outlaws encountered U.S. National Guard troops along the U.S.-
Mexico border near Sasabe, Arizona. After supposedly bringing drugs 
into our land, these outlaws were headed back home to Mexico when they 
overran this Arizona National Guard ``outpost.''
  Make no mistake about it. These criminals were not ``undocumented 
migrant workers'' who daily cross the U.S. border illegally, but fierce 
outlaws armed with AK-47 automatic rifles. They were taking full 
advantage of our weak border rules of engagement policy, or shall I say 
non-policy.
  According to the National Guard, the gunmen defiantly approached our 
border troops in what was described as an ``aggressive manner.'' But 
instead of holding steady against this threatening approach, our 
Guardsmen fled. That's right, they retreated. Why? Because it is the 
policy that the National Guard may not fire their weapons unless fired 
upon or in danger of serious bodily injury and can only fire if no 
civilians are in close proximity.
  In other words, when approached by armed intruders, the National 
Guard must flee. With these restrictions, the hostility left troops 
with the only choice they had, follow the retreat when confronted 
policy.
  An ongoing investigation into the January 3 threat is being conducted 
by the U.S. Border and Customs Patrol. A spokesman for the U.S. Customs 
and Border Patrol stated, ``The exceptional job of these agents and 
troops is angering drug dealers, and that is probably the reason that 
they were so bold, and that heightened frustration may be connected'' 
with the incursion on January 3 and overrunning the outpost.
  These narcoterrorists act as if America is their country and the 
National Guard are the intruders. Our government must allow our troops 
to engage the criminal invaders. If they come onto our land armed, we 
should fight, not flee from the scene. The war on the border is 
escalating. Ignoring these attacks only encourages Mexican drug dealers 
to be more aggressive in their criminal enterprises.
  Homeland security begins at home by protecting our borders from these 
illegal invaders. In the days of Pancho Villa, banditos encroached upon 
the border on horseback. But U.S. soldiers and Texas Rangers fought 
back and took control of our border. Now these banditos come across by 
any means necessary: in Humvees, in the backs of trucks, on foot, and 
they are saddled with deadly fire power. They traffic drugs, illegal 
aliens, and they are armed while doing it.
  In 1916, our government ordered thousands of National Guardsmen to 
protect the borders and to protect U.S. citizens. General John J. 
Pershing did that. He defended our borders, and he chased banditos back 
to Mexico.
  In 2007, the U.S. Government has once again called the National Guard 
to protect and defend. But the U.S. engagement policy is beneficial 
only to the intruders by not allowing the National Guard to defend 
themselves or our sovereignty with their weapons.
  How is the National Guard to shield our country from this invasion 
when they can't capture armed bandits? Or should they be called 
``undocumented firearm enthusiasts''? If our National Guard is on the 
border, they should be allowed to protect our country from hostile 
invaders using any means necessary. After all, they are the National 
Guard, not national bird watchers. Let's not send our National Guard or 
border agents to perform a task with a no-detain or no-shoot policy. 
Otherwise, how can they protect America?
  Armed renegades attacking our borders are invaders and should be 
treated as such. Mexico refuses to crack down on their criminals 
encroaching on U.S. land. In fact, they encourage this intrusion.
  Has our Nation lost the moral will to protect our border? We protect 
the border of other nations. We protect the Korean border. We protect 
the Iraqi border. Let us protect our own border. A line must be drawn 
in the sand ordering these desperados to leave or the U.S. Calvary will 
deal with them like General Pershing did 100 years ago.
  And that's just the way it is.

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