Senate votes down plan to send additional troops to border

ATLANTA – The U.S. Senate today denied a proposal to send 6,000 troops to the Mexican border.

“It’s no wonder the American people don’t trust Congress to secure the border,” U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., said in a statement. “These funds would have gone a long way toward combating the illegal immigration, drug and alien smuggling and violent activity along the Southwest border.

“The defense of our nation begins with securing our borders, and it is time for Congress to demonstrate a strong commitment to border security,” Isakson added. “It is time we stop making promises. It is time we start delivering solutions.”

President Obama on Tuesday said he was planning to send 1,200 troops to the border, but a number of Republicans, including Isakson and Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., contend that isn’t enough. The plan has been described as similar to one President Bush advocated, albeit in a scaled-down version.

“Deploying the National Guard is essential to securing our U.S.-Mexico border,” Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said in a statement. “Families living in Arizona should not suffer from the daily threats caused by illegal immigration, drug trafficking and human smuggling. It is the federal government’s obligation to protect all Americans by securing the borders, and deploying 6,000 National Guard is a critical first step.”