Posted on 02/06/2008 10:55:52 AM PST by SwinneySwitch
WASHINGTON — Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said Wednesday he is heading to Texas to tie up plans for a flood wall along the Rio Grande that could double as part of a border fence.
Chertoff told The Associated Press he would be in McAllen on Friday, and that he's very close to reaching an agreement with county officials to build the wall and hoped to "tie the knot" on the plans.
His department has been discussing with Hidalgo County a proposal to build a wall to beef up flood levees and comply with a 2006 law requiring 700 miles of fencing on the U.S.-Mexico border. Chertoff said the wall would meet border security needs of the government and flood protection needs of the county.
"We are always open to working with communities if we can find a way to satisfy our operational needs and satisfy their concerns," he said. "But it requires them to really step up to the plate and engage with us and be prepared to make sacrifices. Merely complaining is not going to deter us from moving forward with our plan, but a constructive alternative is always welcome."
At previous meetings officials appeared to agree to Hidalgo County's proposal to build 22 miles of a border wall, replacing earthen berms that serve as levees, said Cari Lambrecht, Hidalgo County spokeswoman. Hidalgo County Judge J.D. Salinas was in a meeting and not immediately available for comment Wednesday.
The county has many more miles of border protected by floods from berms that are not part of the wall proposal, Lambrecht said.
Chertoff said the county would pay some costs of the wall so it would not hurt the Homeland Security budget. The county also has hoped to offset costs of repairing its levees with federal assistance.
Texas has been a hotbed of resistance the federal government efforts to build fencing or walls along the border. Opponents have said the fences will interrupt commerce, harm farmers and ranchers who depend on the Rio Grande, split some communities, and cut off land owners from property. Others are concerned about its effects on the often symbiotic relationships between U.S. and Mexico border cities.
Several landowners have refused to allow federal officials on their property to survey sites for the fence. That has prompted several lawsuits and in a few judges have ordered landowners to comply.
Levee Ping!
If you want on, or off this S. Texas/Mexico ping list, please FReepMail me.
I read a story this morning that stated Cameron county voted last night to give property for the fence without a court fight. Looks like the feds are finally serious about this section of the fence. However, I have my doubts it will be built before the election and after the election it will be one of the first items on the agenda to get killed.
I think they are just screwing around with this in the belief
that after a Democrat is elected they won’t have to finish.
Our idiot Gov Rick Perry has been AWOL on the illegal immigration issue. He is currently angling to be McCain’s running mate.
Chertoff-all talk and no action!
I wouldn’t hire Skeletor to wash my car let alone protect our nation.
I think you are correct. After the election, it is a dead issue.
Sure, when pigs fly.
More trouble for the border fence:
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/02/06/0206utfence.html
ping
Oh, yeah. Thanks to KBH (R, TX) we’ll never have a fence. Let the law suits being! Just in case someone doesn’t know, she and her RAT buddies all but killed the fence bill - http://michellemalkin.com/2007/12/18/house-guts-border-fence/ And not that TX Gov. Perry is any better and is kissing up to McInsane for VP. I already called Kay’s office to let them know she’s lost every vote in this house.
That’s just wonderful. Her father was an illegal alien. Now she is a cheesy college professor at 10th-rate school VETOING Congressional law — that it took a half-dozen years to persuade Bush to act on — because it would inhibit the use of a golf course and “damage the ecology.”! I hope Chertoff slaps her.
Once McCain has locked up the nomination, you can expect a tidal wave of illegal aliens trying to get here before the amnesty is passed. No matter who is elected, McCain, Obama, or Clinton, they all have the same position on amnesty. So no matter what is planned on border security, it won’t be ready in the next month or so to stem the tide.
The term, “tie the knot” is spineless politician doublespeak. It means that nothing will get done, and nothing will get decided. Pure theater for the mindless hordes.
Funny thing about that article. I’d read it in the Statesman earier in the day. Went through my Earthlink Google and it was no where to be found.
Went to my ol’ standby Ninja.com (also Google powered) and it was the first article on the page. (not the first time I’ve noticed this)
Gotta wonder if there’s not some OBL types messin with the Internet. What a perfect way to keep folks in the dark.
I just sent her a nasty note in her own prepaid envelope that she sent me begging for money.
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