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Public Safety

Governor Schwarzenegger Calls For More Manpower At Border

The California governor says the federal government should dedicate more manpower and money to securing the U.S.-Mexico border. Schwarzenegger toured the border in San Diego on Wednesday as 250 National Guard troops get ready to deploy.

The soldiers are California's share of the 1,200 that President Barack Obama ordered to help patrol the border.

In San Diego, they'll focus on enforcement, but guard officials say they won't detain people. For that, they'll call in the Border Patrol.

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Officials say soldiers will be armed but will do all they can to avoid using their guns.

Schwarzenegger welcomed the extra help but says the federal government must do more.

"We got to go and have more manpower. Right now we have probably around 20,000 Border Patrol and I always said we need 50,000. Will you ever be at the point where you can totally tighten the whole thing? I doubt it. But I think any kind of improvement is good," said Schwarzenegger.

National Guard officials expect the 250 soldiers will be in place along the border in California by September 1st.

Four years ago, President George Bush sent 1,500 soldiers to the border in California. They built fences and roads.

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