arizona about two or two and a half hours from tucson and the goal is to then walked through southern arizona until you can get past the border patrol checkpoints. it can be a lot of three to five days. so this is in january and some people outside of arizona don't know it gets very cold here in the winter so this group of people walked through these mountains and judging by the name of that place you can imagine the wilderness what it's like up and down roller coaster mountain snow water, lots of cactus, lots of rocks, lots of ways to trip and she got sick when she was crossing on the trail. probably from drinking the water which if you ever walk around down there its green and putrid. it makes people sick and i had her autopsy from leader. her stomach was empty so she was vomiting on the trail. she could not continue with the group so her mom had paid or was going to pay to deliver this child made the decision to leave this young girl on the trail and her little brother we can imagine screaming and crying but he reported later she said to him you go ahead, you have to get to mom. so the boy

i rise night to address the border security crisis that's part of daily life in my southern arizona district, in arizona's eighth congressional district. i'm proud to represt one of the most diverse parts of the entire country. i represent a district that's over 9,000 sare miles and is one of 10 u.s.-mexico border districts. the u.s.-mexico -- mexico border has changed a lot over the years. i'm a third generation arizonan. i represent a lot of people who are multigeneration arizonans. after years of building up the word for the california and texas, there's been a systematic funneling of illegal immigration, the flow of traffic, illegally, through southern arizona. this has become the most po rouse part of the u.s.-mexico border. today, together, my constituents live in a situation on the front lines of a national border security crisis. we live and breathe the federal government's failure to secure the board we are mexico and every day, my constituents are subjected to home invasions and to burglaries and to cut water lines and to graffiti, an unbelievable amount of garbage and trash left b

we had the tragic murder of a renter in southern arizona.t was a psycho that -- rancher in southern arizona. it was a cycle that crossed the border. there's always new things to be done when you're talking about border security. in terms of what is on the ground and what has been done, the commitment and the absolute laser-like focus on the border from san diego across to brown's bill -- browns will. -- brown'sville there has never been this kind of focus before. >> where is my colleague? >> hello and nice to see you. thank you for doing this. we know how busy you are. i want to ask you about the whole enchilada. the comprehensive immigration reform. the president has said that he wants it. the timeline for delivering it seems to keep slipping. i wonder if you think it is realistic that such a policy is realistic when you have arizona passing more restrictive laws and you have polls showing that 51% of americans believe they probably did the right thing. if you think is realistic, how and when? thank you. >> i saw that ball and we can debate

. >> guest: okay, look it is a fair point by no hospitals in southern arizona are going to the ball taking care of illegals because they had the craddock oath to show up there not with a to take that seriously ill to have to treat you and it's also true there are other social costs. these people are not on welfare. you can see people begging on the median. you find me in illegal mexican he's at the supermarket door trying to sell you a tamale or mow your lawn. now the other thing is these crime statistics in my experience are bogus when they say there's all of these evils who commit crimes a lot of the crimes they're talking about if you on a package the number the crime as they are here illegally. i'm not saying they are saints, but that's not the major consequence. if you really are concerned about the migration you say they are driving down american wages. but if you have people that don't have the full human rights they will work for less. >> host: this is booktv live coverage from the "los angeles times" festival of books. charles bowden is the guest for this segment. here is the cove

the issue, the murders in juarez recently, we also had the tragic murder of a ramplinger in southern arizona by someone who appears to have crossed the border and then gone back. so, there's always more to be done and there's always new speaking to be done when you're talking about border, border security. but in terms of what's on the ground, what's been done, the commitment, the absolute laser-like focus on that border from san diego across to brownsville, i think what we are saying here is that on both sides there's never been so much focus as there is today. >> thank you. where's my "the new york times" colleague? i saw her -- there you are. here's the mike. >> hello, madam secretary, nice to see you, mr. secretary. thanks for doing this. we know how busy you are. i wanted to ask you about the whole eng lada. -- enchilada. the comprehensive immigration reform. the president has said that he wants it. the timeline for delivering it seems to keep slipping. i wonder if you think that it's realistic that such a policy is realistic when you have arizona passing restrictive laws and you have p

consulate in juarez, as well as the recent murder of a rancher in southern arizona.d to support mexico's fight against the cartels in mexico, but also the need, as senator sessions recognized, to keep up our efforts on the southern border. we now have more manpower and technology at that border than at any time before. the challenge, however, is deep and complicated. we are responding with a partnership between the department of homeland security, department of justice, department of state with an initiative. this is the department focused on assisting mexico in their fight against the cartels on their side of the border. in addition, we have expanded partnerships between the department of homeland security and the department of justice, because for every up prevention -- for every apprehension that dhs makes, doj is responsible for prosecution. we need to prevent the cartels from proliferating. we must also assist local law enforcement responding to problems emanating from the border. as a result of what i believe to be focused, strategic and consistent pressure alo

-mexico border, particularly in southern arizona, i ask again that the president immediately deploy the national guard. the first responsibility of the government is to ensure the safety of its citizens. we must take action. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady's time has expired. for what purpose does the gentleman from kentucky rise? >> request permission to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. yarmuth: mr. speaker, earlier this year i was proud to co-found the congressional task force on american competitiveness. the reason we did that is while this democratic congress makes the kind of short-term required investments to keep our economy stable and to grow it from the depths of a recession that we just emerged from, we still need to keep our eyes on the prize. and many of us -- and that means growing an economy that will provide a vibrant, growing job opportunity for our children and grandchildren. this is why the task force strongly supports the re-authorization of the america competes act. a piece of legislation that will expand our g

we care as much about arizona in southern illinois where i come from as much as we care about the appellation. any questions? [inaudible] >> i don't know if you remember a few years ago project energy wanted to put a power plant in and city council, already signed off on that. we went down and complained and held signs. the little town -- i saw the man who made this, they made the little button. we are going to lose. i don't know about that. you can have -- >> this is good. >> to hurricane charlie in 2004. the five year anniversary of hurricane charley jeb bush had been the governor. his brother was running for president. surely we will get something. we got nothing. they had a party. the republicans came back, they were having a big party but no one mentioned the word charlie. no one wants to mention the word hurricane. it was called extreme make over. that is what happened. >> suddenly words matter. this is a good example. we were having a cold bloom and there was a movement, they were cancelled now. because the community saying it was cost-effective and we were trying to stop number one. t

they are in southern california, they are in arizona. stash houses are up and home invasions are up, and i think that has really fueled the arona law which i think is an unfortunate law, but nonetheless, i understand the fear that people have. the question comes, have you looked at beefing up even more the law enforcement effort in these particular areas and if so, what is justice prepared to do? >> we have deployed justice department resources from the atf, from the dea, from the fbi, along the border. i'm concerned about the level of violence that we've seen increase really pretty dramatically even in the last three to four weeks, and i think that we are going to make sure that we keep a sufficient presence both in mexico and along the border, that we work with our state and local partners in those affected areas along the border to keep the violence level as low as we can. the efforts that our mexican colleagues have taken, president calderon has taken, those have been heroic efforts. we have to make sure that we are supportive of tho

arizona? >> we already have a national law. we have a law that says it is illegal to be here. we need to better enforce the law we have. i lived on the southern border and in arizona and california. >> the lot on the books is adequate if we had enforcement? >> that is right. we have laws that state is illegal to cross the border and illegal to be here. the reason it is not being enforced is we have no ruler -- no real port or boarded security. we have window dressing. that is not the fault of the agents of the front line. we have agents sitting out in the desert doing very dangerous jobs. they are outgunned, outmanned, they do not have the proper vehicle for radios, and they are put into danger because we did not have enough manpower. we did not have to interrupt for ability for them. that needs to be fixed. we have over 9 million containers coming into the skin -- this country every day and less than 5% of them get checked. >> i think we need to beef up our patrols. i think we need to enforce the laws on the book. if they come here and work, we need to find a source of with that are coming from and the employers that are breeding them in and

she's attended some of the finest universities in the country: university of southern california, university of arizona -- i'm sorry. arizona state. in my interviews with her, i was very, very impressed. she has proven she embodies the values of our country. hard work, discipline and respect for the rule of law. i've been impressed time and time again by this nevadans' record and commitment to public service in all areas of her life. she worked for two decades in the private and public sectors and has experience in handling every aspect of the law. complex litigation at the federal and state levels; murder cases. she is currently the chief deputy in the clark count district attorney's office writing for the board of commissioners. she worked for the board of defenders. she also worked in private practice representing clients in federal and state litigation relating to criminal, civil and family law. in 2001, she was awarded the very prestigious louis weiner pro bono service award. she's committed to the state of nevada. she is committed to her community. she created the latino bar association. it's my

i lived in arizona and on the southern border and in california. >> we need a lot on the books rightw? it is adequate if we had enforcement? >> that's right. we have laws the state is illegal to cross the border. it is illegal to be here. the reason it is not being enforced is several things. number one, we have no border security. we have no port security. we have window dressing. that is not quality agents. we have agents that are sitting out in the desert in doing dangerous jobs. they are outgunned, out man. they did not have proper radios. they do not have the proper vehicles. they are put in danger every day because we do not have enough manpower, and of radios, the right kind. we do not have it in iraq for ability for them. that needs to be fixed -- we do not have interoperability. we have over 9 million containers coming in to this country every day, and less than 5% of them get checked. >> what about the errors on a lot? >> we need to beef up patrols by 20,000 men. >> -- what about the arizone law? >> we need to beef up patrols by 20,000 men. we need to find the source and th

first, this week, you told congress the southern border is as secure now as it is -- has ever been. but from 2000 to 2008 arizona's population of illegals grew 70% and nationally our population of illegals grew 37%. is that the kind of security you are bragging about. >> no, what i was -- obviously, it's always continuing work but i've worked the border as years as the u.s. attorney, attorney general, governor of arizona. i have ridden it, walked it, flown it. i know that border and in terms of all statistical measure there are more resources placed on that border and fewer attempts at illegal immigration in the last year than has been the historical record. everything is in decline. we are getting and gaining control of that southwest earn border. more needs to be done, and more is being done, in arizona. which has become a particular corridor and i understand the frustration of arizona, with that. and we are continuing to look at arizona but i'll tell you this: in the end, every resource can be put at that border is being put there. every security being made, but we still need comprehensive immigration reform. >

first, this week, you told congress the southern border is as secure now as it is -- has ever been. but from 2000 to 2008 arizona's population of illegals grew 70% and nationally our population of illegals grew 37%. is that the kind of security you are bragging about. >> no, what i was -- obviously, it's always continuing work but i've worked the border as years as the u.s. attorney, attorney general, governor of arizona. i have ridden it, walked it, flown it. i know that border and in terms of all statistical measure there are more resources placed on that border and fewer attempts at illegal immigration in the last year than has been the historical record. everything is in decline. we are getting and gaining control of that southwest earn border. more needs to be done, and more is being done, in arizona. which has become a particular corridor and i understand the frustration of arizona, with that. and we are continuing to look at arizona but i'll tell you this: in the end, every resource can be put at that border is being put there. every security being made, but we still need comprehensive immigration reform. >

arizona. and that means that this lawlessness that exists on the border of this country, the southern border of this country, is bleeding over into the united states. and we have got to do something about it. so the arizona folks, they wrote themselves a law. and they basically said, they basically defined some stuff that federal officers have had the ability to do for some time. and they talked about the fact that if washington is not going to do something, we're going to do something to try to find out who these people are that are coming across our border illegally. and this debate has become -- we have international people talking to us, we have the nations talking about a law in arizona. i want to throw something out and i see my fred rob bishop from utah is here, i'm happy to have my colleague and classmate, we came in here together, to be here to join me tonight. it pleases me to no end. but i want to just start off this conversation by pointing out something that lamar smith that serves on the judiciary committee told to a group of us last week, a statistic that he produced which is ver

- i was out of place in arizona because i was only white person i saw in the fields, but i was equally out of place in russellville because i don't have -- i don't have a southern accent. i'm not particularly conservative and russellville come it's a dry county so you can't even get alcohol there. and i was spending the summer there. which is troubling for me. [laughter] >> once i realized. and i think in some ways i was utah looked at as a free. i didn't have a car, so i arrived in russellville, which is very rural, kind of out in the middle of nowhere. and with a bike and some people would see me biking around. in russellville, bikes are for kids. it seemed odd. but it seemed like a wonderful chance to dive into, not just the work, but the ways in which -- russellville seem like a microcosm of what's happening across the south. and so this is my -- i left let us, i chose forward at the beginning because i thought it was the most physically tiring, it was. but i discovered that the poultry plant work in some ways, it wasn't quite as physically demanding, but in terms of the depressing nature of the work. lettice work is very skilled. by two months of doing it

arizona because the california border is far more secure. we know fences work. the virtual fences are virtually worthless. we must complete a physical barrier on rigid barrier on our southernorder. >> decide -- despite significant rain and snowfall this winter and spring, the entire staf california still faces a severe water crisis especially in the central valley where drought and environmental regulations have crippled farming and there he been other problems. what specific action should congress take to keep the water flow into all the cities and the farms and still protect the ecosystems of the sacramento delta? >> there is nothing more important than the economy of california been getting industry and agricultural moving again and water makes that happen. we needo open up the floodgates once again. that was done back for the snail darter in the 1970's and this could be done in the context of the delta. we need to build more reservoirs and and bill -- and build an expanded dam, the site reservoir north of the delta. those of the steps to take our 48-year-old -- last time it was touched -- water infrastructure into the present system. if we do not do that, we will conti

caller: my question is concerning the arizona law, which i understand is a carbon copy of the federal law. the other thing is, the opened southernorder represented a clear and present danger to the security of the united states. i do not think the governor could tell the difference between a mexican citizen and possibly a middle easterner, across the border wearing a baseball cap. they would look similar. i think the southern border needs to be closed. we have to do something about that and then address cover and to immigration. guest: you make a good point. because of the drug violence, drug cartels fighting each other. that has increased security concern that the border. but you have to give the mexican government credit. the president there is try to stop it. he is having some success, but it is still far and uncontainable problem. in the new immigration bill, we have to increase border security, more detection equipment, more national guardsmen, but that is a federal responsibility we do not have the money to do this. it is clear in, constitution, immigration is a federal responsibility. instead of going after, criminals, we

arizona because the california border is far more secure. we know fences wk. thvirtual fences are virtually worthless. we must complete a physical barrier on rigid barrier on our southerne -- despite significant rain and snowfall this winr and spring, the entire state of california still faces a severe water crisis especially in the central valley where drought and environmental regulations have crippled farming and there have been other problems. what specific action should congress take to keep the water flow into all the cities and the farms and still protect the ecosystems of the sacramento delta? >> there is nothing more important than the enomy of california been getting industr and agricultural moving again and water makes that happen. we need to open up the floodgates once again. that was done back for the snail darter in the 1970's and this could be done in the context of the delta. we need to build more reservoirs and and bill -- and build an expanded dam, the site reservoir north of the delta. those of the steps to take our 48-year-old -- last time it was touched -- water infrastructure into the present system. if we do not do that, we will continue to have

southern border in a year. we encounter a single unique individual, as many as 27 times, down on the sector of the border by arizona. 27 times. one individual. i've stood down there at the station and watched as they bring them in after they pick them up for jumping the fence or coming across the border. i watched them come through. they know the drill. they've already been -- they've been stopped by border patrol agent out in the field and the border patrol agent just simply restrains them or retains them and along comes a private contractor with a van, these people are wearing police-style uniforms in gray, white van with i'd say reinforcement built inside, containment for human beings built inside, sliding door on the white van, border patrol agent picks people up, calls the private contractor who comes in with the van, pulls in, they load them up in the van and they drive them over to a holding cell or on up to the station headquarters and they already know, they put their personal items in a zip lock bag and they walk into the station with, often many of them, with a smirk on their face. they know right where

arizona because our border is more secure. the virtual fence is worthless. we must complete a physical barrier on our southern border. >> back to you, mr. armstrong. >> despite significant rain and snowfall this winter and spring, the state of california still faces a severe water crisis in the central valley where it has crippled farming. there have been other problems there ago what specific actions should congress take to keep the water flowing to the farms and still protect the ecosystem of the delta at? >> there is nothing more important than to get our greatest industry, agriculture, back moving again. in the short term, we need to have a bill that will open up the floodgates once again. that was done for the -- back in the 1970's. it could be done in terms of the delta smelt. we need to build more reservoirs. we need to expand the dam north of the delta. we need to expand the flaps south of the delta. those are the steps to take our 48 year-old water infrastructure and to the present system. if we do not do that, we will continue to have a sequence of dry years and white years. during the dry years, do

arizona. one reason the catholic church is this way i believe, i have some of the figures in my new book is 40% catholics in the united states are now hispanics. if you take southernifornia, a majority, los angeles, officially the catholic church is basically been at some ways a very pro immigration. frankly it seems it is too lax on illegal immigration. these are the laws of the united states of america. bear on the books and i do not believe any member of a catholic hierarchy should be condoning or proving a deliberate violation of american law. these are not unjust laws of the past for everything they ought to be enforced and i don't think the catholic condoning illegal aliens holding down 8 million jobs and african-americans have 15 percent unemployment rate and we have 25 million people unemployed or underemployed, they are hard-working folks. many are law-abiding but they are here illegally. we can be a nation of laws or not. i think the laws of the country ought to be enforced that previous presidents and congresses have not done their job growth this is one of the issues on which iran in 1990 or 91 and roach with the "state of emergency" and if they had be