C.T. REVERE
Tucson Citizen

 Congress should repeal the 126-year-old act prohibiting the military from enforcing laws on U.S. soil and put troops on the U.S.-Mexico border, congressional candidate Randy Graf told some 40 supporters Wednesday.
The Green Valley Republican, who is challenging 10-term incumbent Rep. Jim Kolbe for the congressional District 8 seat in the Sept. 7 primary, said the time has come to repeal the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 for the sake of national security.

"My proposal includes a military presence utilizing military technology and the resources the military has to detect illegal entrants," Graf said during a news conference at Trail Dust Town, 6541 E. Tanque Verde Road. "The inclusion of the military operating military surveillance equipment would provide valuable information that could be communicated to the Border Patrol for apprehensions."

Kolbe, who was on vacation Wednesday and unavailable to comment, has said the National Guard and military reservists can assist Border Patrol, but that military personnel are not trained to enforce border law.

Graf said military presence on the border can be "subtle." He calls for holding National Guard training and exercises on the border to have them on hand, putting military communications specialists on the border, and using the area for special forces operations desert training.

Graf said he also supports passage of the CLEAR Act, federal legislation that would train more than 600,000 local and state law enforcement officers to enforce immigration law and seek out illegal migrants.

He calls for more jail cells for illegal border crossers to ensure they make their court appearances and more aggressive prosecution of U.S. employers who hire illegal workers.

"We simply need to enforce current law. This will require additional resources in manpower and technology," Graf said. "The dollars spent in this area should easily be recouped by savings to local, state and federal taxpayers which now pay for the education, health care and criminal justice systems that need to be subsidized because of failed federal immigration policy enforcement."

Graf, a state lawmaker representing parts of southern Pima County, also showcased a half-dozen local pastors and church officials who endorse his candidacy because he opposes abortion rights and supports a constitutional amendment defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

"Abortion and border security," Graf said, "in my opinion, these are two of the most important issues to the residents of the 8th District."