Legislative Update
January 28, 2008 

Border Patrol Agent Murdered by Fleeing Smuggler

On Saturday, Border Patrol Agent Luis Aguilar was killed while trying
to stop two vehicles fleeing back over the border to Mexico from the
United States. One of the vehicles, a Hummer driven by suspected
smuggler Jesus Navarro Montes, ran over Agent Aguilar as he was
placing spike strips in an attempt to puncture the tires on the
suspects' vehicles. Border Patrol agents had earlier spotted the two
vehicles near the Imperial Sand Dunes in California and were in hot
pursuit when he was killed. (Los Angeles Times, January 20, 2008)

According to Mexican authorities in Baja California, Navarro was
smuggling narcotics into the United States at the time he was spotted
by the Border Patrol. After running down Agent Aguilar, Navarro Montes
fled to Mexicali and hid the vehicle with accomplices. He then
traveled to the northern state of Sonora, where he was apprehended on
Wednesday. The arrest of Navarro, who had previously been jailed in
the U.S. for smuggling 10 illegal aliens into the country, also led
Mexican authorities to three Mexicali homes containing the rudiments
of an alien-smuggling enterprise, including blank immigration
documents, border-crossing cards, temporary visas and machines to
duplicate U.S. government seals. (MSNBC, January 23, 2008)

The attack on Agent Aguilar is the latest incident reflecting a recent
spike in border violence. Assaults on Border Patrol agents have risen
from 384 in 2005 to 987 in 2007. In the final three months of 2007,
the number of assaults neared 300. According to Customs and Border
Protection, the increase in violence is due to increased activity of
Border Patrol Agents and deadly battles between drug- and
human-smuggling rings at the Mexican border. Curiously, the Yuma
sector in which Agent Aguilar operated had seen a recent decline in
violence. (The Washington Times, January 24, 2008)

Agent Aguilar, a six-year veteran of the Border Patrol, was 32 and is
survived by his wife and two children.

Senator Sessions Challenges Candidates to Clarify Their Positions on
Immigration

In a speech given before an audience at the Heritage Foundation in
Washington D.C. on Thursday, Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) unveiled a
fifteen-point questionnaire aimed at clarifying the immigration
positions of the presidential candidates. According to the Senator,
the current candidates have not been specific in their immigration
positions. "Commitment to the items on the list will indicate how
sincere and serious a candidate is about ending the culture of
unlawful immigration," said Sessions. (The Birmingham News, January
25, 2008)

The questionnaire asks whether the candidates would take various steps
on the way to true immigration reform in the United States. Among
these steps are the building of the border fence, requiring businesses
to use E-Verify, expanding the 287(g) program, and punishing sanctuary
cities. Senator Sessions estimated that taking the actions outlined in
the questionnaire would reduce illegal immigration to the U.S. by 80
percent within the next few years. To see a copy of the questionnaire,
click here. 

http://www.fairus.org/site/R?i=6Ll_Op3YPbuyyrEUKPKFnw..