EL PASO, TX - Saturday, Congressman Larry Kissell (NC-08) accompanied agents on patrol of the border between the United States and Mexico and attended a series of briefings held by the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol.

Kissell visited the region to see first-hand the efforts being made by USCBP agents to stem illegal immigration and to see better what can be done by the federal government to help America’s southern border.

“Our national security begins at our borders,” Kissell. “Washington has failed in its primary responsibility to secure those borders and I wanted to see and hear for myself what can better be done to support the efforts being made by the Border Patrol to stem the tide of illegal immigrants coming into our country.”

During the series of briefings conducted by USCBP officials, it was pointed out that North Carolina is often a declared destination for illegal immigrants who are apprehended near the border. Border Patrol agents confirmed that while immigration laws are broken at the border, the security risks and economic impact are national in scope.

“Illegal immigration has had a devastating impact on the economy of our state and district,” Kissell said. “American citizens need jobs, and we can’t continue to allow those who enter the country illegally to take jobs away from Americans, especially at a time when our economy is hurting so badly.”

In addition to the obvious economic and employment impact illegal immigration is having on the United States, USCBP officials said they are seeing ever-increasingly dangerous intentions of illegal immigrants apprehended along the border.

“We are seeing fewer people coming into the is country illegally merely looking for jobs, and more and more of them coming here to conduct other illegal activities such as drug smuggling and human trafficking,” said USCBP Agent L.M. Rocha. “We are beginning to really see the criminal enterprises that have taken hold in Mexico trying to come into the United States across this border.”

Rocha went on to explain that the Patrol, which is part of the Department of Homeland Security, has taken an expanded role in the prevention of terrorism since September 11, 2001, and that he and other agents see border security as a vital component of America’s anti-terrorism strategy.

“Illegal immigration is threat to our nation economy and our national security, and the brave men and women of the Border Patrol stand watch every day and every night to defend our nation,” said Kissell. “I will do all I can to see that the Border Patrol receives the resources and assistance it needs to keep fulfilling its part of our nation’s homeland security efforts.”

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