By KRWG News
El Paso – Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill White has released his plan to secure the U.S.-Mexico border with 1,000 new local law enforcement officers and 250 state troopers.
White, speaking to reporters Thursday, says Republican incumbent Rick Perry has been a failure on the issue over his 10 years in office.
White's plan calls for the new positions to be paid with federal grants, additional state money and forfeiture dollars from drug seizures. White also promises to use state money more effectively, establish formal partnerships with local and federal law agencies and "revamp" the Texas Department of Public Safety.
The former Houston mayor also says he would help local law enforcement adopt a federal program called Secure Communities, which he used in Houston to identify criminal illegal immigrants and get them turned over to federal authorities.
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.