The immigration issue could put health reform at risk once again, as it did last fall. Then, President Obama had to do some fancy footwork after an unceremonious challenge during his speech to a joint session of Congress. Rep. Joe Wilson was right, and the House bill held gaping loopholes that pretty much guaranteed illegal aliens would benefit under health reform. Ultimately, Speaker Nancy Pelosi added a modicum of eligibility verification to the House bill, and Majority Leader Harry Reid kept the relatively stronger verification provisions in his Senate version.

Highlighting the U.S. government's perpetual failure to secure the southern border, a Mexican military helicopter was photographed by a Texas sheriff this week flying over a residential neighborhood at least a mile into the American side of the Rio Grande. 

Center for Immigration Studies

Statistics recently released by the Harris County (Texas) Sheriff's Office provide an interesting point of comparison for two of ICE's programs that identify and flag criminal aliens for removal - Secure Communities and 287(g).

Harris is the nation's third most-populous county; it includes Houston and has one of the largest concentrations of illegal aliens. It has implemented both Secure Communities and 287(g). Both programs identify and place detainers on aliens who have been arrested by local officers and deputies, putting these offenders on the path to removal rather than allowing them to remain here to commit more crimes. Secure Communities is an automated screening system that runs the fingerprints of everyone booked into participating jails through immigration databases and then forwards the hits to ICE technicians, who select criminal aliens for removal processing. Under 287(g), specially trained local officers screen and process aliens who have been arrested in that jurisdiction.

Right Side News reports from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection

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Border Patrol agents seized over 7,400 pounds of marijuana and 170.8 pounds of cocaine. Agents arrested 11 criminal aliens and 14 gang members. There was one rocking incident.

Reported on March 4, 2010

Detroit Sector - Border Patrol agents seized 1,865 counterfeit DVDs, $785, a 2008 Pontiac G6 and arrested a national of Lebanon near Dearborn, Michigan. Agents arrested the subject following a vehicle stop. Records checks revealed the subject was a Federal fugitive and had been previously ordered removed from the United States.