The Incredible Disappearing Border Fence... (Like The Cheshire Cat, Its Gone Poof! Alert)

Townhall.com ^ | 12/19/2007 | Michelle Malkin

[goldstategop]

Do you know the story of the Incredible Disappearing Border Fence? It's an object lesson in gesture politics and homeland insecurity. It's a tale of hollow rhetoric, meaningless legislation and bipartisan betrayal. And in the run-up to the Iowa caucuses, it's a helpful learning tool as you assess the promises of immigration enforcement converts now running for president.

Last fall, Democrats and Republicans in Washington responded to continued public outrage over border chaos by passing the "Secure Fence Act." Did you question the timing? You should have. It's no coincidence they finally got off their duffs to respond just before the 2006 midterm elections. Lawmakers vowed grandiosely to keep America safe. The law specifically called for "at least 2 layers of reinforced fencing, the installation of additional physical barriers, roads, lighting, cameras and sensors" at five specific stretches of border totaling approximately 700 miles.

GOP leaders patted themselves on the back for their toughness. President Bush made a huge to-do in signing the bill into law. Never mind the lack of funding for the fence and the failure to address many other immediate reforms that could have been adopted immediately to strengthen immigration enforcement, close deportation loopholes and provide systemic relief at the border without the need for a single brick or bulldozer.

On the very day the bill was signed, open-borders politicians were already moving to water it down. Texas Republican Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn pushed for "flexibility to choose other options instead of fencing, if needed." Six months after passage of the Secure Fence Act -- now interpreted by Washington as the Flexible Non-Fence Act or, as I call it, the FINO (Fence in Name Only) Act -- 700 miles shrunk to "somewhere in the ballpark" of 370 miles. A 14-mile fence-building project in San Diego was stalled for years by environmental legal challenges and budget shortfalls. The first deadline -- a May 30, 2007 requirement for installation of an "interlocking surveillance camera system" along the border in California and Arizona -- passed unmet. GOP Rep. Duncan Hunter, one of the few Republican presidential candidates to walk the talk on border security, blasted the Bush administration for suffering from "a case of 'the slows' on border enforcement."

More than a year after the law's passage, the citizen watchdog group Grassfire reports that just five miles of double-layer fencing has been built in the first 12 months of implementation of the act. Five lousy miles. The Government Accountability Office claims 70 miles were erected -- but most of that fencing failed to meet the specifications of the law.

Is Congress up in arms? Will there be accountability? Don't make me snort. Instead of demanding that the law be enforced, the pols are sabotaging the law. As part of the omnibus spending package passed this week, House Democrats incorporated Senate Republicans' provisions to remove the two-layer fencing requirements and the specific target list of fencing locations.

GOP Rep. Peter T. King, who sponsored the Secure Fence Act, told the Washington Times: "This is either a blatant oversight or a deliberate attempt to disregard the border security of our country. As it's currently written, the omnibus language guts the Secure Fence Act almost entirely. Quite simply, it is unacceptable."

But so totally, totally predictable.

GOP Majority Leader John Boehner tried to blame the House Democrat majority: "The fact that this was buried in a bloated, 3,500-page omnibus speaks volumes about the Democrats' unserious approach on border security and illegal immigration," he said. "Gutting the Secure Fence Act will make our borders less secure, but it's consistent with the pattern of behavior we've seen all year from this majority." But it's border state Republicans who've been gunning to undermine the law while the ink was still fresh.

To add insult to injury and homeland insecurity upon homeland insecurity, Congress failed to adopt a ban on federal aid to sanctuary cities that prevent government employees and law enforcement officers from asking about immigration status; voted to stall implementation of stricter ID standards at border crossings; and miraculously found enough money to provide $10 million in "emergency" funding for attorneys of illegal aliens.

Next time you hear a leading presidential candidate try to woo you with his nine-point immigration enforcement plan or his secure ID plan or his Secure Borders platform, point to the Incredible Disappearing Border Fence. Poof! That is what happens to election-season homeland security promises. Why would theirs be any different?

[goldstategop]

Open Borders sabotage? Election year betrayal? Contempt for the American people? Whatever the motives, you can witness for yourself how the political elites make sure... when no is watching, that the border fence never gets built.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[SoCalPol]

HUNTER FIGHTING TO OVERTURN HOUSE DEMOCRATS FENCE REDUCTION

* * Democrat Spending Bill Harmful to Border Security* *

December 18, 2007

Washington, D.C.–Presidential candidate Congressman Duncan Hunter returned to Washington this morning to immediately begin his efforts to overturn provisions contained in a Democratic spending bill that eliminates current legal requirements for double-layered border fencing. Congress last year passed legislation authored by Hunter, the Secure Fence Act, mandating double-layered fencing and related infrastructure at strategic entry points along the Southwest border.

“Now is the time when those who take the threat to our nation’s borders seriously stand up and be counted,” said Hunter. “Last year, Congress successfully passed legislation that mandated a double fence requirement based on the success of the border fence we’ve built in San Diego. The Democrat majority in this Congress has taken it upon themselves to overturn federal law to pursue a policy that does nothing but harm our border enforcement capabilities. This is not leadership, it is irresponsibility.

“Border enforcement is too serious of an issue to pursue only when politically convenient at election time. If Congress is to reverse its border stance after just one year, what message does that send to illegal immigrants and drug smugglers who are watching to see how serious we are about protecting America’s borders? I believe we must uphold our nation’s immigration laws, support our agents serving on the border and protect our border communities and I am going to make every effort to overturn the damage this Democrat leadership has caused.”

H.R. 2764, a bill that provides funding for several federal departments and agencies, was brought to the House floor and passed late last evening by the Democratic leadership. Not only does the bill contain provisions removing all specific locations as outlined by the Secure Fence Act, it also removes all requirements to construct any fencing or physical barriers along the border. This action basically repeals the Secure Fence Act and undermines past efforts to secure our nation’s border.

H.R. 2764 has been referred to the Senate for consideration and then will be returning to the House with any changes in the form of a conference report. Congressman Hunter is working with his colleagues in both the House and Senate to ensure that these dangerous provisions do not remain in the final version of the funding bill.

[AmericanInTokyo]

It is basic contempt of the American people, that’s what it is.

[TBP]

We need to get the fence built. We also need to get the Border Patrol fully funded. In 2005, Congress passed the Intelligence Act, containing a provision requiring 10,000 new Border Patrol agents in 5 years. The Bush Administration has only requested (or allowed) funding for 210 — barely enough to make up losses due to attrition.

The gutting of the fence is just another way teh One World open borders crowd is trying to impose their agenda on real Americans.

[Digger]

NO What we need is for everyone of you to vote outside of this CORRUPT “TWO-PARTY CARTEL”. Do you FReepers get it? What does it take to see this?

[ex-Texan]

Just another betrayal of America in a very long list. Dare I say the “T Word?” The word rhymes with reason but is not reasonable — It is foul conduct most high. Treasonable conduct ought to have legal consequences. One such consequence is impeachment. Open borders will push people to demand harsh justice. ‘Nuff said.

[LowCountryJoe]

Just another betrayal of America in a very long list. Dare I say the “T Word?” The word rhymes with reason but is not reasonable — It is foul conduct most high.

Not one of you points out one of the crucial reasons illegal immigration is overlooked: the New Deal programs will have to be funded somehow! The birthrates of non-immigrant American females is at a non-replenishment rate; many illegal immigrants do pay into Social Security through fraudulent SSNs without ever becoming eligible for benefits; and the surplus money collected from overtaxtion via the payroll's FICA has already been spent (THERE IS NO LOCKBOX, IT'S AN ACCOUNTING GIMMICK!)

If you folks who care about border security would concentrate just a fraction of your energies to entitlement reform, showing similar outrage at the federal government, the single biggest economic factor [funding entitlements into the future] that causes our Representatives and Senators to "look the other way" at the immigration problem, might just fix itself.

So, the fact that none of you points this out is foul and shows a lack of understanding as to what the underlying motives are in this whole issue.

[WildcatClan]

"Next time you hear a leading presidential candidate try to woo you with his nine-point immigration enforcement plan or his secure ID plan or his Secure Borders platform, point to the Incredible Disappearing Border Fence. Poof! That is what happens to election-season homeland security promises. Why would theirs be any different?"---Michelle Malkin

Pardon the ping. Most of us have heard of this already but not heard it layed out as well as Michelle does in this article. It puts feet to the fire and suggests some a$$e$ need to hit the road. Michelle Malkin stays true, she doesn't sell out. I noticed the NY Post has picked up this story. TV news will report within the second, the last time that Peterson creep passed gas. So far, nothing on this as I have seen.

[WildcatClan]

I would have to respectfully disagree with your analysis, especially your suggestion we are “foul” in our ignorance. New Deal entitlements certainly merit attention and subsequent action; Yet if they were gone tomorrow, illegals would continue to pour across the borders. If you believe this would prompt Congress to then secure the borders, then perhaps you have a fundamental misunderstanding of liberals and American-hating leftists. You have also miscalculated the thirst for slave labor on both sides of the political fence. I Like that you have a different approach, but I don’t see as it would solve anything. Using the basic premise of your argument, one could suggest the 50 million murders since Roe vs Wade was as culpable, if not more so, than entitlements. I certainly can agree pro-abortion laws and entitlements both warrant not only change, but complete termination. I am just not sure either would be as crucial in solving border security as you seem to think.

[central_va]

American public, for your own good, this is not your concern, no need for a border fence, nothing to see here. Move on.

[PGalt]

OUTSTANDING post! Hooray Michelle! 535 elected representative need to be behind a fence with striped clothing and electronic tethers. /off rant

DISGUSTING

[PubliusMM]

Excellent commentary.
The supposition that entitlements are the driver for these politicos to avoid border security measures may have some shred of truth, for the most corrupt among them. But, the real truth is that defunding entitlements for illegals would not stop the flood across the border. There is much more money going back to Mexico, I believe, than is going to Washington. And, both need to be stopped.
The most sensible steps, IMO:
1. Finish the fence, as described in the enabling legislation; double layer with added elements in selected high-traffic areas. My recommendation is to extend the fence the full length of the border save for the few spots where human/animal access may be impossible.
2. Defund ALL entitlements for illegals (and everyone else, in a perfect world); and cut federal funds to sanctuary cities.
3. Redefine “citizen” to include babies born to immigrants who are in the US LEGALLY.
4. Fill the Border Patrol staff as legislated in 2005. In the meantime, use the National Guard in an enforcement capacity until that staff comes on-line.
5. Penalize employers utilizing illegals in their workforce, using a one step warning program. Find ‘em, warn ‘em. Find ‘em, again; fine/jail those responsible for the staffing/approval of hire. We already have the I-9 form. I know things can be forged, but bouncing an SSN against a list of valid SSN’s should be pretty straightforward, I’d think.

It’s time for the elected elite to act on the people’s wishes. I hear some of them carping about the cost of the fence, and there are cheaper ways to accomplish the same thing, yadda yadda yadda. Being the masters of wasteful spending that they are, I’m sure they are right. However, we have watched them fritter away trillions of dollars on snail darters, earthworm farms, bovine methane reclamation projects, other BS regulations, and feel-good programs that have accomplished nothing of note. It’s our turn. And, I think we can do better. We stumped for a fence, we supported a fence, and they passed a fence. Now, build the damn fence, already...

[kellynla]

Thanks for posting!

[kellynla]

ping

[Travis McGee]

"Border Reality 101"

This is what most of our southern border looks like: there is no government-built fence at all. There is often just whatever is left over from some forgotten cattle fence, built privately to keep U.S. cattle from wandering freely into Mexico. For hundreds of miles there is not even a broken cattle fence, there is nothing at all.

For comparison, below the broken cattle fence photo is a sample of an inexpensive but highly effective double border fence system, with a plowed strip to reveal footprints. This type of system is very cheap and can be built with great speed.

Here is what some of San Diego County has: a wall made of rusty Viet Nam-era runway mats. The corrugations are even horizontal, (to make climbing easier?)

Here is what the border looks like where the runway mat wall exists. Mexico begins on the other side of the ineffective rusty wall, which actually helps the smugglers, by hiding their movements until the occasional USBP vehicle has driven out of sight.

This is how "the game" is played. Smugglers hide on the other side of the wall with their dope and/or their illegals, out of sight of the USBP. They wait for the highly visible white BP vehicle to drive over the distant hills. Lookouts with cell phones and walkie-talkies report on the current locations of the BP units. They know with certainty that "the coast is clear" for an hour or two, and the smugglers and illegals hop the fence and run into the scrub only 50 yards away. From there, they are out of sight, and they walk 1-2 miles to holding houses. Then they wait for nightfall, and are picked up and driven in vans to LA or San Diego.

Next, we see the Duncan Hunter 15' fence, which is already being built along a few "showplace" miles of San Diego, mainly near the ports of entry, where panderng politicians can conveniently show it off to gullible reporters. As you can see, the rusty runway wall is seen at the left side, Mexico begins on the other side. In areas with the 15 foot fence, dope smugglers and illegals will have to cross the open sand ("the government road" as it is called) before starting to try to get over the 15 foot fence.

This new fence is extremely tough, and resists cutting. Attacking the fence would have to be done right out in the open, in full view of cameras. This type of fence, on the U.S. side of the government road, will give the USBP a barrier to patrol, instead of forcing them to chase illegals around 100,000 square miles of wide-open frontier land, which is a fool's errand. Everywhere this modern multiple fence system has been built, crossings by illegals drop to almost nil.

This ain't rocket science, folks. We're not talking about something like the Hoover Dam project, (which we managed to build 70 years ago). The world's last superpower, which put a man on the moon 35 years ago, can build a couple thousand miles of simple and effective fencing.

This is how it's being built in San Diego county, along the last 14 miles out to the ocean. The total cost of the entire fence from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific would be about 5 billion dollars, or what we spend medicating, hospitalizing, educating, and incarcerating illegal aliens just about every month. In other words, the fence would pay for itself immediately.

Or, we can continue our current policy.

[upsdriver]

This is a HUGE reason why I won’t vote for any of the so-called “front runners”. Every damn one of them talk conservative but will sell us out once elected. Duncan Hunter is the only one I trust to get the job done.

[upsdriver]

I appreciate the ping. Michelle Maulkin, one of the true heroes in the fight against illegal aliens and terrorists.

This country needs Duncan Hunter as president. There is so much important work to be done that the other candidates will only give lip service to.

[gubamyster]

ping

[Xenalyte]

And the hell of it is, there’s really not much we can do until election time. It’s not like we can march on Washington, tar and feather the offenders, and send them home on Amtrak.

But a girl can dream, can’t she?

[beachn4fun]

I see this as just another symptom of the interior collapse of our country.

All one has to do is look around. Foreigners buying and owning American land. If they buy enough land in one state, will that state still be considered American?

Millions upon millions of immigrants, legal and illegal, coming to this country who do not have the best interests of the United States at heart. Think Mexicans who fly the Mexican flag and say they want to take back what was taken....and Middle east citizens, even though born in America, who believe and support those such as the Taliban and AlQueda. We have legal Hispanics in this country who fight every day to get amnesty for all of the illegals.

Think on this: if our government officials stall long enough, illegal immigrants’ children who are born in this country and by virtue are American citizens, will be old enough to vote. Who do you think they’ll vote for?

My vote goes to Hunter.