Arizona Seeks More Nat'l Guard Troops

Increased drug violence in Mexico—as well as several high-profile killings on the U.S. side of the border—has led for border-state legislators from both parties to call for more National Guardsmen to patrol the border. It’s not the first request: President Obama deployed 1,200 Guardsmen, 560 in Arizona alone, to the region last summer. Fewer migrants are now making the trek to the U.S. than before—high unemployment has made it less attractive to come to the U.S.—but drug seizures have increased, leading to more violence. Most recently, Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry was killed December 14th in a shootout between a group of robbers and drug smugglers. The troop deployment has been denounced by human-rights organizations and policy analysts who say more boots on the ground puts civilian residents in danger—and at least some in the bordering towns said they feel “less safe” with the extra soldiers.