Posted on 11/04/2005 3:15:35 PM PST by HHKrepublican_2
WASHINGTON (AFP) - Republican lawmakers have introduced a bill to build a 3,200 kilometer (2,000 mile) wall along the US border with Mexico to keep illegal immigrants out. ADVERTISEMENT
The legislation aims to "create a border security fence from the Pacific Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico," said House of Representatives members Duncan Hunter of California and Virgil Goode of Virginia in a statement.
"Prior to September 11, 2001, illegal immigration was considered a regional issue without national implications. We quickly learned on that day, however, that this is a national issue, affecting each and every American, not just those living in border communities like San Diego County," Hunter said.
Their True Enforcement and Border Security Act would also "authorize thousands of new border patrol officers, immigration investigators, attorneys and immigration judges," they said.
Hunter told CNN it was important to identify who crosses the border and who helps them do it, adding that four North Koreans were among those arrested trying to enter the US illegally in the past few months.
About the cost and difficulty of building a wall along the entire border with Mexico, Hunter simply said: "It's a simple construction."
While Hunter assured skeptics that a fence would work in keeping out unwanted immigrants, pointing to a successful 22-kilometer (14-mile) stretch of fence near San Diego, California, other Republican lawmakers were not so sure.
Representative Jeff Flake (news, bio, voting record), of Arizona, was quoted as saying in Friday's issue of The Washington Times that a fence would not work for half of the 400,000 immigrants that enter the United States every year and overstay their legal entry visas.
While the administration of Republican President George W. Bush has vowed to do more to enforce the borders.
It was unclear whether the fence building bill would receive sufficient support to pass in both houses of Congress.
Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff on Tuesday announced that 1,000 additional border guards would be recruited to help stem the tide of illegal immigrants.
Two weeks ago, Chertoff said his goal was to deport all illegal aliens caught crossing the border.
The conservative Washington Times newspaper on Friday said Republican lawmakers were also considering a bill ending birthright citizenship, or jus soli, which is a right granted under the US constitution.
"There is a general agreement about the fact that citizenship in this country should not be bestowed on people who are the children of folks who come into this country illegally," said Representative Tom Tancredo of Colorado.
A group of Republican lawmakers trying to find consensus on immigration is studying whether the issue of jus soli would require a constitutional amendment or a congressional statute.
A constitutional amendment would require approval by three fourths of the 50 US states, a very difficult undertaking. The last amendment, the 27th, establishing congressional pay increases was passed in 1992.
Wonderful news.
Just purchased "Camp of the Saints" (a French book, translated to English) on this issue. Great read.
Too bad he's fighting an uphill battle against a president who wants to grant amnesty.
We could always have a good ol fasioned protest
Note: make sure that when I die, I'm buried with a very warm coat.
That book just became reality in France. He predicted it all.
Great idea......it is about time too.
The bad news is that they're vastly outnumbered.
Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff on Tuesday announced that 1,000 additional border guards would be recruited to help stem the tide of illegal immigrants.
I've been hearing those empty promises for years.
"Fetch a Le Moo"
Now how bout carting away the employers that hire Illegals. $100,000 fine per illegal and 2 years in the click.
They'll find common ground. We'll end up with a wall that runs from sea-to-sea, but it's only 1-ft. tall.
Might as well just shoot our Economy while you are at it...something like that needs to be gradual.
I say we should get a bunch of Americans to link hands on the border and say "Red Rover, Red Rover, Mexico Come Over." And only those Mexicans who break through get to stay.
Those who say a wall would not work are those who fear it would work.
Good. Now get to work!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.