Phoenix – Former Congressman and Republican gubernatorial candidate Matt Salmon appeared Friday morning on “The Russ Clark Show” (News Talk 560 KBLU) in Yuma.
He spoke with Clark about Operation Copper Shield, the bold new initiative that Salmon just released this week to secure the U.S.-Mexico border and defend Arizona’s sovereignty. The initiative will deploy 1,200 armed National Guard troops and invest millions of dollars in county sheriffs, prosecutors, and other law enforcement officials in order to get the border crisis under control.
You can an excerpt from the exchange below:
RUSS CLARK:
“It’s coming out today that you’re releasing Operation Copper Shield, which is something you’re unveiling as your plan to fix the border.”
MATT SALMON:
“Russ, desperate times call for desperate measures, and we’ve never seen the kind of illegal activity at the border that we do today … We’ve got to stand up and take the law into our own hands …
“That’s why I’ll be unveiling [Operation] Copper Shield today. From Day One as governor, I’m going to declare a State of Emergency triggering the funding and the law enforcement powers. I’m going to deploy 1,200 armed National Guard troops at highly visible locations and established smuggling routes and then grant ‘rules of force’ to those soldiers and airmen so they can detain illegal immigrants …
“Under Article I Section 10 of the Constitution when we’re being invaded, it allows us a lot more flexibility as a state to be able to do these kinds of things.”
…
RUSS CLARK:
“You had as an adviser [former U.S. Border Patrol Deputy Chief] Ron Colburn, who is well-known and respected in this community.”
MATT SALMON:
“Absolutely. He’s been working with me on this plan for several weeks, as has former [Pinal County] Sheriff Paul Babeu, and I have a lot of confidence in them. I’ve talked to countless people on the ground, including your own Sheriff [Leon] Wilmot, as I’ve really been trying to get a handle on this. I know this is bold and I know a lot of the liberals are going to have a knee-jerk reaction – ‘You can’t do that. You can’t do that’ – the fact is: We will do it … It’s time to do what we’ve got to do.”
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