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HAMILTON — Butler County Sheriff Richard K. Jones, a Republican, joined forces Wednesday, Sept. 10, with a Democratic counterpart, Sheriff Sigifredo Gonzalez Jr. of Zapata County, Texas, to spread the word about worsening problems along the U.S./Mexico border.

The sheriff of the Texas county on the border was in Butler County to address a group of approximately 150 law enforcement officers and government officials from across the state and Kentucky about immigration issues he has faced in his county.

On the eve of the seventh anniversary of the 9/11, Jones and Gonzalez urged lawmakers in Washington to address immigration issues and the borders that they say are wide open to illegal immigrants.

"You cannot have homeland security without border security," Gonzalez said.

Both sheriffs expressed disappointment presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama, who both made stops in the area Tuesday, Sept. 9, have not addressed immigration or border security.

"They don't even want to talk about it," Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez is chairman-elect of the Southwestern Border Sheriff's Coalition, which consists of border sheriffs from California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.

The Hispanic sheriff said he is often asked how he can speak out on immigration issue given his heritage.

"I am proud of my heritage," Gonzalez said, adding it is about being an American, not his ethnic background. "This is a red, white and blue issue."

Immigration reform may be debated for years, Gonzales said, but funding and manpower for protecting the nation's borders can be addressed now.

Illegal immigrants who are murdering, raping and dealing drugs are coming into the country daily, he said.

"People are dying and we are losing our country," Gonzalez said.