BBC: US border fence signed into law ~ Includes Funding....Fence and Personnel...

BBC ^ | Wednesday, 4 October 2006, 21:01 GMT 22:01 UK | BBC Staff

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

US border fence signed into law

Mr Bush signed the law in Arizona, where illegal immigration is a concern

US President George W Bush has signed a controversial bill into law that will pay for a 700-mile fence (1,125km) fence along the border with Mexico.

The barrier, equipped with hi-tech surveillance equipment, will be built in areas where many illegal immigrants cross over into the United States.

Mr Bush has also suggested a temporary guest worker programme to allow immigrants to work legally in the US.

But Republican congressmen have argued against the idea.

They said it would be an amnesty that would give illegal immigrants a route to citizenship.

Under the new law, around $1.2bn will be spent over the coming year on the border, which will be built on remote and inhospitable border areas in the south west of the country.

Comprehensive reform

Speaking at the signing of the bill in Arizona, Mr Bush said the fence alone was not enough to curb illegal immigration.

"The funds that Congress has appropriated are critical for our efforts to secure this border and enforce our laws, yet we must also recognise that enforcement alone is not going to work," he said.

"We need comprehensive reform that provides a legal way for people to work here on a temporary basis."

There are an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants living in the US.

An estimated 1.2 million illegal immigrants were arrested last year trying to cross into the US along the border states of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California.

Supporters of the fence have said it will be a crucial tool to fight illegal immigration - which is expected to be a key issue in November's mid-term elections.

But critics of the scheme say it will force illegal immigrants to cross somewhere else.

Mexico has also said the fence will badly affect relations with the US.

The outgoing Mexican President, Vicente Fox, has called the fence shameful, and compared it to the Berlin Wall.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Propaganda piece in the Local paper:

Mexican government predicts border fence probably won't be built

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Much discussion on the thread!

[Farmer Dean]

A day late and a dollar short as we like to say,but it's a start.

[Graybeard58]

Vicente Fox, has called the fence shameful, and compared it to the Berlin Wall.

Yep, that's why we are building the fence - to keep our citizens in.

(In the bizzaro world).

[Jaysun]

US President George W Bush has signed a controversial bill into law that will pay for a 700-mile fence (1,125km) fence along the border with Mexico.

They wait until the last lines to reveal with whom it's controversial: Mexico and illegal aliens.

[Tai_Chung]

Mr Bush has also suggested a temporary guest worker programme to allow immigrants to work legally in the US.

We already have this program. They just need to get a US company to sponsor them

[samtheman]

Strong fences build good neighbors.

[e_castillo]

So a fence is supposed to help? I need to buy stock in a tool company that makes wire cutters!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Search revealed this earlier BBC article:

US border fence plan 'shameful'

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Right,....on rainy days I had to hoe weeds in between the trees in the shelter belt around a Quaker Farmers homestead...on his wheat ranch in Kansas....non rainy days I drove the tractor .....much less work.

[Jaysun]

The liberals across the pond could go to hell, were they not already in it. Who cares what they say? I don't. You don't. The President doesn't. And the fence is going up.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Borrowed from thread linked above....thanks to Travis McGee :

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This is what most of the San Diego border looks like. The old metal runway mats are useless for stopping illegals on foot.

This is the type of fence built on about 14 miles of the San Diego border. This is the "Duncan Hunter" fence which may be built along 700 miles of the border. It is unclimbable, and is very hard to cut, allowing the USBP plenty of time to respond.

29 posted on 12/19/2005 10:01:11 AM PST by Travis McGee (--- www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com ---)

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[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

See above...

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

See above....

[RKV]

Looks like plenty of room to plant mines in the open space;>)

[e_castillo]

Thanks for the post, maybe they will need needle nose cutters or a knife to score the material.

[EricT.]

Vicente Fox, has called the fence shameful, and compared it to the Berlin Wall.

To him, it is a Berlin Wall...keeping all of HIS citizens in. Now he'll have to actually solve some major problems down there.

[EricT.]

It's expanded metal. A knife ain't gonna do it.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Thanks, not an ordinary fence.,....