Border Patrol protests "Hecho En Mexico" Uniforms.

[TexasRifleman]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,176821,00.html


WASHINGTON — The labels inside the U.S. Border Patrol uniforms have been making many federal agents feel uneasy. It's not the fit or feel of the olive-green shirts and pants, but what their labels read: "Made in Mexico."

"It's embarrassing to be protecting the U.S.-Mexico border and be wearing a uniform made in Mexico," says T.J. Bonner, president of the National Border Patrol Council, a 6,500-member union.

Agents and lawmakers are concerned about the consequences if the uniforms for agents charged with combating illegal immigration fall into the hands of criminals or terrorists.

"If we're manufacturing uniforms in Mexico, what's to stop someone from walking across the border in a Border Patrol uniform?" asked Rep. John Carter, a Republican from Round Rock. "How do you know who are our guys and who are their guys?"

 

[NCP24]

The labels inside the U.S. Border Patrol uniforms have been making many federal agents feel uneasy. It's not the fit or feel of the olive-green shirts and pants, but what their labels read: "Made in Mexico."

That’s a bit ironic.

"If we're manufacturing uniforms in Mexico, what's to stop someone from walking across the border in a Border Patrol uniform?" asked Rep. John Carter, a Republican from Round Rock. "How do you know who are our guys and who are their guys?"

That’s just a bit of common sense.

 

[jeremywills]

wow

wow

its a small world indeed

thing is I see Border Patrol hats and shirts at the Flea Markets all the time and they are made in a variety of countries, mainly China of course, seen Vietnam and Mexico on a few them, and they look pretty realistic. I never realized the govt was actually buying them for real usage, I always assumed it was just capitalistic folks selling whatever to make a few bucks. Now I wonder if they were Cough Cough overruns or something like a paperwork error in production #'s. Or some enterprising folks stay behind an hour and make a few for the side. I really wonder if what I see at the flea marts are or were supposed to be legit after all. FWIW, I am alarmed at the fact they are being made right across the border they are meant for protecting on this side of it.

 

[gc70]

There is an obvious problem with buying the uniforms from Mexico, since most government purchases are supposed to be from the low bidder - which would be China.

 

[O.F.Fascist]

ROFLMAO.

That being said its definately better than sending even more of our money to China.

 

[Aguila Blanca]

Way back when I worked for a quasi-governmental agency, the policy was to buy American unless it wasn't available made in the USA. Has that policy been scrapped?

 

[cz75bdneos22]

i don't see the problem...i have many friend/relatives in the border patrol/customs agencies and they never have made a negative comment towards the country of manufacture of their uniforms...
i guess you could complain just about everything you buy these days which is certainly not made in the USA..nothing against buying made in the USA, but like everyone else buying consumer goods. Price is first on my mind..How i wish every company chose to finalize their goods at home, but the reality is that they to are looking for the bottom dollar.=cheap labor. thats why we see made in china, pakistan, honduras, etc..sad, but true...

 

[pax]

Why in the world would anyone complain about this?

Those uniforms are made by workers that are staying in Mexico. I'd think even the most vocal anti-immigration monomaniac would be cheering that on.

pax

 

[ElTacoGrande]

What's the difference between this and them buying, say, Glocks made in Austria? I don't see the difference. I know that the federal government does have "buy American" policies. If they are buying uniforms Hecho en Mexico, there must have been some good reasons for doing that.

The US clothing industry is in steep decline. The one bright spot is American Apparel: http://www.americanapparel.net. Maybe AA could/should try to get a DHS contract to make their BDUs? That would be cool.

 

[Standing Wolf]

It's embarrassing to be protecting the U.S.-Mexico border and be wearing a uniform made in Mexico...

Yeah, especially since all those people in the Dominican Republic really need the work.

 

[Sindawe]

Those uniforms are made by workers that are staying in Mexico. I'd think even the most vocal anti-immigration monomaniac would be cheering that on.

Exactly. Which is why I had ZERO qualms about buying a Nissan that was assembled in MEXICO. If they have a job, they stay THERE.

 

[Waitone]

We get all huffy when we get word of airline flight crews losing uniforms and ID badges. So now we go capitalist when BP uniforms are made in Mexico in close proximity to the very same social group wanting to enter the US illegally?

Come on, people. A little consistency goes a long way. We either have a security problem with uniforms being made in Mexico or we don't have a security problem when air crew uniforms go missing.

 

[c_yeager]

Come on, people. A little consistency goes a long way. We either have a security problem with uniforms being made in Mexico or we don't have a security problem when air crew uniforms go missing.

Yeah because baby blue uniform blouses are really hard to reproduce, and clearly it would be impossible to make fakes without actually having a contract to produce them.

These are made by people *in* Mexico. The U.S. BP is doing a lot less to contribute to illegal immigration by purchasing unifroms made by Mexicans IN Mexico than we are by purchasing produce that is actually picked by illegals.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

"It's embarrassing to be protecting the U.S.-Mexico border and be wearing a uniform made in Mexico," says T.J. Bonner, president of the National Border Patrol Council, a 6,500-member union.

Embarrassing that the uniforms are made in Mexico? What a conceited thing to say. Is he also embarrassed by some Border Patrol firearms being made overseas, their com gear being largely Asian in origin, their vehicles produced in Mexico, etc.?

Why should it be embarrassing that the uniforms are made in Mexico? It isn't like "Hecho en Mexico" is printed in large letters on the outside of the uniform. Maybe it is like getting into a car accident when wearing dirty underwear and being afraid medical staff will see that you not only don't have on tighty whiteys, but that your uniform isn't American made. Oh the horrors of such a discovery!

If the president of the Border Patrol Council has nothing better to do than claiming his uniform is embarrassing to wear because it is made in Mexico, he needs to get a life and actually work at doing his job of keeping our borders secure. Whether or not he is embarrassed is a non-issue.

Agents and lawmakers are concerned about the consequences if the uniforms for agents charged with combating illegal immigration fall into the hands of criminals or terrorists.

"If we're manufacturing uniforms in Mexico, what's to stop someone from walking across the border in a Border Patrol uniform?" asked Rep. John Carter, a Republican from Round Rock. "How do you know who are our guys and who are their guys?"

What's to stop someone walking across the border in a Border Patrol uniform? Holy crap, Batman, the head of the Border Patrol Council doesn't know the mission of the Border Patrol.

First, anyone walking into the US from Mexico in a Border Patrol Uniform should be considered suspect until properly processed. We should not have many of our folks on the wrong side of the border and if they are coming north, they should not be walking. Second, they are required to carry proper identification just like other US LE agencies.

 

[El Tejon]

ROTFLOL!

Can nothing make the Border Guards have a good day?

 

[c_yeager]

Im glad this thread got posted. It does a pretty handy job of showing how many of the anit-illegal people are simply anti-Mexican. Thats a pretty big difference in my book.

 

[TexasRifleman]

Im glad this thread got posted. It does a pretty handy job of showing how many of the anit-illegal people are simply anti-Mexican. Thats a pretty big difference in my book.

I don't think I agree with that. Perhaps the fact that 99% of the illegals coming into this country are Mexican makes you feel that way. I assure you, if Canadians started crossing by the hundreds of thousands we'd be just as up in arms.

How about the fact that the Border Patrol is purchasing it's uniforms from a country where the government actively promotes the illegal invasion of our own country through it's policies and propaganda.

Fact is, it doesn't do me a lot of good to be upset about the illegal Swedish aliens, and I don't suspect the Border Patrol is out looking for them this week. If we begin to see staggering numbers of Swedes swimming the Rio Grande then I'll be against them as well.

So, if by "anti-Mexican" you mean that I am anti-anyone coming across the Southern borders illegally, and that makes you feel better, then yes, I am anti-Mexican.

 

[ElTacoGrande]

Im glad this thread got posted. It does a pretty handy job of showing how many of the anit-illegal people are simply anti-Mexican. Thats a pretty big difference in my book.

That's one of the big questions from the liberals: are groups like the Minutemen anti-Mexican? I think some of the anti-Minutemen groups are making that claim. I don't really buy it but I am sure there are some anti-Mexican people who are drawn to that group.

As for myself, Viva Mexico! I celebrate Cinco de Mayo, etc, and I'm not even Mexican. I just love Mexico and I'm happy that there are so many Mexicans here in SoCal. Being right here at "ground zero" of illegal immigration (about three hours from the border) I think the best thing is a documented guest worker program. If people are coming here, at least get them documented, get them into the system, get them paying taxes, get them some protection against exploitive employers. The other option is to clamp down hard on the border and really put an end to illegal immigration. Somehow I don't think that's going to happen and I think I would prefer a guest worker program.

 

[Henry Bowman]

I think the best thing is a documented guest worker program. If people are coming here, at least get them documented, get them into the system, get them paying taxes, get them some protection against exploitive employers. The other option is to clamp down hard on the border and really put an end to illegal immigration. Somehow I don't think that's going to happen and I think I would prefer a guest worker program.

These are not mutually exclusive options. Both are required to be effective.

Unfortunately, I believe that the politicians are trying to figure out how to make it cost the most money and how it can best be converted into a pork project for their state/district.

 

[ElTacoGrande]

These are not mutually exclusive options. Both are required to be effective.

Good point. Actually an effective guest worker program would make a sharp decrease in the amount of illegals coming over, and so maybe the Border Patrol would be able to focus their resources and be more effective. In other words, if there is a guest worker program, then anyone who is trying to sneak accross must be really bad, and so maybe the Border Patrol could use much stronger measures against those people. It would make it more legitimate for them to escalate force a lot quicker. Anyone in Mexico who legitimately wants to work in the US would go through the official program, and the only people who would want to sneak in are doing it for criminal reasons.

Unfortunately, I believe that the politicians are trying to figure out how to make it cost the most money and how it can best be converted into a pork project for their state/district.

As always.

 

[Waitone]

If people are coming here, at least get them documented, get them into the system, get them paying taxes, get them some protection against exploitive employers. The other option is to clamp down hard on the border and really put an end to illegal immigration.

Faulty analysis. It is not an either-or proposition. Both-and is reality. The problem we face thus far is a half-assed legal immigration program which makes it highly difficult to immigrate legally while simultaneously and pathologically ignoring existing laws against illegal immgration. So now we have a system in place which punishes those who try to enter the US legally and encourages illegal entry. The US though its inaction has created the perfect political storm.

So now we have our Maximum Leader suddenly wanting to fix the problem. The same Maximum Leader who has steadfastly refused to enforce existing law against those who employ illegal entrants now wants us to trust him when he says he will really enforce all the new laws he wants implemented.

The solution is a both-and proposition. I fear we are now so polarized on the issue that reasonable solutions will never get aired. Problem Solving 101 teaches the first step in solving a problem is TO QUIT FEEDING THE FREAKIN' PROBLEM. That means lots of border work, workplace enforcement, and benie reduction. Then when we've stopped feeding the problem we can go about constructing a decent work program ONLY AFTER WE'VE DECIDED WE WANT A WORK PROGRAM. France has had work programs for decades and it has not worked out that well. <flight of fancy>Maybe we will decide the best approach is to encourage assimilation via citizenship vs work programs.</flight of fancy>

 

[Biker]

That's one of the big questions from the liberals: are groups like the Minutemen anti-Mexican? I think some of the anti-Minutemen groups are making that claim. I don't really buy it but I am sure there are some anti-Mexican people who are drawn to that group.

As for myself, Viva Mexico! I celebrate Cinco de Mayo, etc, and I'm not even Mexican. I just love Mexico and I'm happy that there are so many Mexicans here in SoCal. Being right here at "ground zero" of illegal immigration (about three hours from the border) I think the best thing is a documented guest worker program. If people are coming here, at least get them documented, get them into the system, get them paying taxes, get them some protection against exploitive employers. The other option is to clamp down hard on the border and really put an end to illegal immigration. Somehow I don't think that's going to happen and I think I would prefer a guest worker program.

Viva Mexico? You might think about moving there. Cinco de Mayo sounds like a movie involving a sea disaster/condiment problem. I don't care. I celebrate Independance Day.
I'm glad that you're happy with the situation in Kal, and I hope that you'll keep it there, though I doubt that'll happen.
We don't need a guest worker program. We have plenty of Americans right here needing work who are willing to speak English, work for a decent wage without demanding bi-lingual education for their kids, and celebrate Independance Day.
Red, White and Blue are the colors of our flag. When did green come into the equation?
Biker

 

[NCP24]

Im glad this thread got posted. It does a pretty handy job of showing how many of the anit-illegal people are simply anti-Mexican. Thats a pretty big difference in my book.

Balderdash, thats pure poppycock.

 

[Janitor]

Balderdash, thats pure poppycock.

Balderdash?
Poppycock?

Do you have ANY idea how many years I've been waiting to work both those words into the same sentance, and now here you go beating me to it.

As far as our southern border is concerned, if we could have a documented guest worker program that works, I'd have far fewer problems. They'd not be eliminated, but it would help. C'mon people - at least let's try to get to a place where we KNOW WHO IS CROSSING THE F*****G BORDER! A fully well and functional 'documented guest worker' program would absolutely require we lock down the borders. Just as any other real world solution would.

Say. I have a novel idea. Now bear with me on this ...

How about we lock down the border while were hashing out what the future may bring? How about we actually make it illegal for someone to come into the country illegaly.

Just a thought.
-

 

[Biker]

How about we lock down the border and 86 anyone here illegaly?
And sorry Friend, but making your problems easier is not in the job description.
It seems simple-If ya ain't here legally, GTF out.
Again, what makes you think that illegals will all of a sudden start obeying our laws?
Biker