Immigration Reform Caucus

Bilbray Honors National Guard for Border Service

More than 27,000 Guardsmen and Women Assisted in Operation Jump Start

July 8, 2008

washington, D.C. — Recognizing the tremendous sacrifices they made to help secure America’s borders, Congressman Brian Bilbray has introduced a Congressional resolution acknowledging the more than 27,000 members of the National Guard who worked alongside Customs and Border Protection agents in an effort dubbed Operation Jump Start.

“For the past two years, courageous members of our National Guard have braved extreme weather conditions along the southwest border and worked tirelessly to stem the flow of illegal immigration and reduce drug and human smuggling,” said Bilbray, who serves as Chairman of the Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus. “Operation Jump Start has been an unqualified success, and we owe a deep debt of gratitude to these dedicated men and women, along with their families, for all their hard work and sacrifice.”

President Bush deployed the National Guard to the southwest border in 2006 to support Customs and Border Protection’s efforts to secure our borders while the agency hired and trained additional agents. Since the start of Operation Jump Start, National Guard members have erected 38 miles of new fence, built more than 95 miles of vehicle barriers, and made improvements to 717 miles of roads used to monitor remote border areas.  In addition, they have assisted in the apprehension of more than 176,000 illegal aliens, the seizure of more than 1,116 vehicles used to transport drugs and illegal aliens, and the confiscation of more than 316,000 pounds of marijuana and more than 5,224 pounds of cocaine. They also assisted in the rescue of more than 100 illegal aliens.

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