An idea came up in a discussion with a friend of mine. He suggested that the Federal Government hire private security guards to arrest and detain illegals crossing the southern border. We went back and forth on the reasons why that would make any more sense than just hiring more border guards, but one thing we couldn't resolve on our own was this. Could a private security guard hired by the Federal government legally arrest and detain a suspected illegal alien, and use deadly force in performing their duties? Does anyone have any comments on this?
Question regarding Border Security
- Thread starter TX1911fan
- Start date
- Status
atlctyslkr
Member
How would this be any different than the private armed security that is in some Federal buildings? I don't know where the actual statue is but I'm sure somewhere it is written in to law about use of private security.
HankB
Member
The government hires private security firms all the time. But as for border security, there's a part of the U. S. Constitution which looks suggestive.
Article 1, Section 8 grants Congress the power:
and
IANAL, but by my plain reading of the Constitution, hiring private security for border patrol ("grant letters of marque") or calling out the militia (to "repel invasions") looks OK.
Article 1, Section 8 grants Congress the power:
"To declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules concerning captures on land and water;"
and
"To provide for calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the union, suppress insurrections and repel invasions;"
IANAL, but by my plain reading of the Constitution, hiring private security for border patrol ("grant letters of marque") or calling out the militia (to "repel invasions") looks OK.
rustymaggot
Member
- Joined
- Sep 28, 2005
- Messages
- 838
if someone comes to our country illegally then they should not be counted as a person. no rights. i think we should form a hunting club and raffle off hunting licences. get people to pay for the chance to sit out at the fence with a rifle. sell hotdogs and beer. sell " big fence hunting club" tee-shirts.
Thefabulousfink
Member
Historically, when a kingdom has to rely on mercenaries to gaurd its borders, things are going badly.
MICHAEL T
Member
We have the manpower all ready. Their sitting in Airports bothering Marines in uniform and old folks . Pull these over paid rent a cops out of the airports and put on the boarder. Who knows they might catch a real terrorist. 
They would be more use on border than in the Airports wasting tax payers money stealing nail clippers .
They would be more use on border than in the Airports wasting tax payers money stealing nail clippers .crazed_ss
Member
No we shouldnt.
First of all.. How will you tell and illegal Mexican from a citizen born in on US Soil? What happens when one of these bounty hunters tries to "apprehend" a citizen who is mistaken for an illegal and the bounty hunter gets shot in the face?
Bounty Hunters and Mercanies = Bad idea.
crazed_ss
Member
Stuff like this is constantly posted, yet people here still wonder why gun owners are stereotyped as violent and backwards hicks and hillbillies. I guess stereotypes truly do exist for a reason.
crazed_ss
Member
These guys work along with DHS employees at the Port of Entry here in San Diego. http://www.usprotect.com/ They carry pistols so I assume they're authorized to use deadly force if needed.
HankB
Member
I'd agree if we were hiring commandos from, say, Germany (Hessians!?) to do the job, but would we really be hiring mercenaries in the traditional sense if the country is paying its own citizens to do a job that needs doing?
seeker_two
Member
I like the idea of bounties, but catching them on your own brings up a lot of legal problems....
Do it like "Crimestoppers" tip lines. Call them in and, if the tip leads law enforcement to actual illegals, you get a reward.
No anonymous calls, of course....
Do it like "Crimestoppers" tip lines. Call them in and, if the tip leads law enforcement to actual illegals, you get a reward.
No anonymous calls, of course....
Thefabulousfink
Member
HankB, the general differnece between a professional soldier and a mercenary is a soldier loyal to their country. They have been instilled with ideas of duty, honor, and commitment. Most soldiers are willing to lay down their lives because they know that they are protecting their families and countrymen.
Mercenaries are employees. They may or may not be loyal to the country they are gaurding, but at the end of the day they are doing it for a paycheck. The number one rule when fighting for a paycheck is be alive to spend it. Mercenaries may be well trained and fierce fighters, but they typically only fight hard enough to not dishonor their company. When faced with laying down their lives to complete an objective, they have very little incentive.
Look at the Romans, the Swiss and other mercenaries in the Thirty Years War, the Hessians, and various other mercenary groups used by third world countries in this last century.
Mercenaries are employees. They may or may not be loyal to the country they are gaurding, but at the end of the day they are doing it for a paycheck. The number one rule when fighting for a paycheck is be alive to spend it. Mercenaries may be well trained and fierce fighters, but they typically only fight hard enough to not dishonor their company. When faced with laying down their lives to complete an objective, they have very little incentive.
Look at the Romans, the Swiss and other mercenaries in the Thirty Years War, the Hessians, and various other mercenary groups used by third world countries in this last century.
- Status
