Border Security
I believe that Southern Arizonans deserve the same safety and security as other Americans. Arizona’s 8th Congressional District includes 110 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border and people who live near it are particularly affected by criminal activities along the border. Ensuring a secure border is the responsibility of the federal government and all Americans have a right to be safe in their own homes and on their land.
As your representative in Congress, I am committed to securing our borders through additional agents on the ground, improvements in communications and technology and adequate staffing at our ports of entry.
Ron Barber
Member of Congress
United States-Mexico Cross-Border Security Act
On Aug. 2, Congressman Barber introduced a bipartisan bill that calls for the United States and Mexico to work cooperatively to fight Mexican cartels that threaten the safety of people on both sides of the border. The United States-Mexico Cross-Border Security Act would direct the State Department to create a unified plan across all federal agencies to fight Mexican transnational criminal organizations. The plan would target the criminals by cutting off their money-laundering capabilities and securing the border through additional staffing, infrastructure, technology, and intelligence coordination. This bill also would strengthen Mexican institutions so they can more effectively combat Mexican criminal organizations and drug cartels before they enter the United States.
Committee on Homeland Security
As a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security and the House Border Security Caucus, Congressman Barber will bring issues related to the border in Arizona to the attention of Congress and federal officials to make sure that they have the opportunity to see the realities faced by border residents every day and that Arizona gets the resources needed to secure the border with Mexico.
On Sept. 24, Congressman Barber hosted U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas for a briefing at the Center of Excellence for Border Security and Immigration, based at the University of Arizona. This was an opportunity for border security technologies developed at UA to be showcased for Rep. Cuellar, who is the ranking member of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security. Among the technologies that Congressmen Barber and Cuellar were briefed on was a virtual customs agent developed by the center. The agent is called AVATAR (short for Automated Virtual Agent for Truth Assessments in Real-Time).
Supporting our Border Patrol
On Oct. 2, for the second time in less than two years, a Border Patrol agent was killed in the line of duty as he patrolled the Southern Arizona desert. A subsequent investigation found that the agent died in a tragic friendly fire accident. Every day the courageous men and women of the Border Patrol put their lives on the line while protecting the citizens of Arizona and the United States.
It is especially sad that Border Patrol Agent Nicholas Ivie, the agent who was killed most recently, worked at a station named in honor of Brian A. Terry, the Border Patrol agent slain in the line of duty in December 2010. Congressman Barber was honored to help dedicate the station in Agent Terry’s name and now mourns the death of another agent from that same station.
Congressman Barber believes that must ensure the Border Patrol has the resources and equipment they need to secure the border in a safe and efficient manner.
Press Releases:
U.S. REP. RON BARBER WILL HOST REP. HENRY CUELLAR TODAY FOR LOOK AT BORDER SECURITY TECHNOLOGY
U.S. REP. RON BARBER QUESTIONS INVESTIGATOR IN FAST AND FURIOUS PROBE
U.S. REP. RON BARBER CALLS FOR CROSS-BORDER STRATEGY TO FIGHT BORDER CRIME
U.S. REP. RON BARBER WILL TOUR BORDER NEAR DOUGLAS, BE BRIEFED BY BORDER PATROL