The leader of a border watch organization seeking a nationwide clampdown on illegal immigration on Jan. 10 endorsed Governor Napolitano’s proposal for a $100 million plan to address the issue.

Ms. Napolitano gave few details, but called for action including a National Guard presence on the border and penalties for employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants during her State of the State address on Jan. 9 to the Legislature.

“Governor Napolitano’s border security proposal should be supported by the Arizona Legislature and passed into law immediately to better protect Arizonans from the dangers of our porous borders,” Chris Simcox, president of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, said in a statement. “She is correct to not wait for the federal government to do its duty, as it has failed for decades to do so.”

Ms. Napolitano also urged a crackdown on smugglers and human trafficking, as well as on document fraud and vehicle thefts, and endorsed giving money to state and local police immigration efforts.

But she also said the military should pay for stationing National Guard troops along the state’s border with Mexico.

‘Federal problem’

“We are going to step up and protect our citizens when the federal government fails them — but this is a federal problem, and we expect the federal government to do its part,” Ms. Napolitano told lawmakers.

But Mr. Simcox said the governor should use some of the state’s budget surplus if necessary for the state militia to help secure the border.

“The governor has authority to raise a state militia to protect the safety and security of Arizonans,” he said. “If the federal government denies or delays approval of her request to mobilize the Guard on the border she should act and use some of the state’s budget surplus for the state militia.”

Mr. Simcox said the proposal from Ms. Napolitano, a Democrat, “ought to put to bed the idea that concern over illegal immigration and our porous borders is a matter of partisan politics. This is a national security crisis and should be addressed as such.”

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