US News

NO DISORDER AT OUR BORDER: PREZ HAILS $3B BOOST FOR QUICK RESPONSE

President Bush yesterday told a crowd of cheering cops and firefighters that he’s increasing the budget for homeland defense by $3.5 billion because “the enemy still wants to get us.”

But Bush got his loudest cheers at the Sheraton New York hotel in Midtown, when he vowed to tighten America’s borders.

“We’re going to figure out who’s coming into the country – and who’s leaving our country,” the president said.

The crowd chuckled when Bush warned foreigners who are hanging around in America for no legitimate reason: “Maybe you ought to just go on home.”

Bush’s homeland-security budget boost – 1,000 percent – is to provide new equipment and training around the nation for the first responders, like cops, firefighters and medics, who showed their heroism on Sept. 11.

Bush now bills these “first responders” as the “infantry” in the war against terror.

“They’re still out there. The enemy still wants to get us,” the president said as he recounted the threats that come across his desk every day.

“Whatever it costs to defend our security and whatever it costs to defend our freedom, we must pay it,” he added.

“We’re going to run down every piece of evidence we find and share it with state and local governments – we’re on the hunt.”

Bush also vowed that the war on terror will continue until every last enemy is hunted down, saying they can’t hide forever because “there is no cave deep enough.”

In recent days, amid second-guessing about where Osama bin Laden has fled, Bush has sought to downplay the significance of getting bin Laden, saying the real enemy is international terror.

Standing in front of a sea of uniformed officers, Bush emotionally praised the fallen FDNY and NYPD members.

“Every new recruit walks in the path of heroes,” Bush said.

The 1,500 uniformed and civilian first-responders gave the president several standing ovations, and many said they were there not just to honor the president but to stand for their fallen brothers and sisters.

“This is very close to us,” said firefighter John McAleese of Brooklyn’s Engine Co. 219-Ladder 105 whose firefighter brother, Brian, died on Sept. 11.

Joining McAleese from his engine house – which lost seven men – was Lt. John Atwell.

“We’re here to support [Bush] but also to represent our brothers,” said Atwell, clutching a camera to capture Bush’s speech for posterity.