Posted on 01/05/2018 8:58:28 PM PST by BeauBo
The Trump administration has asked Congress to set aside $18 billion over the next decade to install or replace more than 700 miles of the barrier along the U.S.-Mexico border, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday.
The proposal by U.S. Customs and Border Protection would extend the barrier's coverage to 970 miles, nearly half the distance of the southern border. It includes 316 miles of new construction and 407 miles of replacement or secondary fencing, a U.S. official with direct knowledge of the matter told the Associated Press.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
The article also mentions that they separately request large funding increases for other infrastructure (Ports of Entry), technology and personnel:
"The CBP document includes $5.7 billion for towers, surveillance equipment and other technology; $1 billion over five years for road construction and maintenance; and $8.5 billion over seven years for 5,000 new Border Patrol agents, 2,500 border inspectors and other personnel, the U.S. official said."
Other articles mention separate funding requests for 5,000 to 10,000 additional Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel. Separately, Immigration Judges are also being plussed up. The technology, and especially the personnel plus ups, are closer to full capacity growth efforts.
Although this approach does not maximize wall construction, it probably is a more cost effective full spectrum approach to achieve the desired outcomes of controlling immigration, removing illegals, interdicting drugs, and securing the Nation from hostile groups like terrorists.
Here is the link to the original Wall Street Journal article, which requires log in: https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-administration-seeks-18-billion-over-decade-to-expand-border-wall-1515148381
Here's my proposal:
(1) U.S. gives $50 billion to Mexico and purchases Baja California, along with the land 10 miles south of the existing border with AZ, NM, and TX
(2) All illegals, DACA, guest-workers, illegals in jails and prisons, and anchor babies move to Baja California and create their own nation (Azteca!)
Laura Ingraham and Michelle did a very good job tonight on Fox ripping that plan.
"Sensors" and "towers" means no wall. And it was the wall what got him elected. It is electoral suicide to backtrack on campaign promises.
President Trump got elected only because the voters believed him. He doesn't need a "read my lips" Herbert Walker moment that will haunt him the rest of his political life. Once he loses the faith of his voters, he becomes just another politician.
The total proposed spending increase for Mexican Border security is $33 Billion over ten years - about $3 Billion a year more.
A little over half of the additional money is dedicated for wall.
“”Sensors” and “towers” means no wall.”
It looks like they are stripping out as much of the costs as possible, into separate categories, to make the bill for the wall itself seem less.
The whole wall system, to work well in urban areas, needs a double barrier, with an alarmed no-man’s land (enforcement zone) in between, with lights and cameras so they can remotely see what they have to react to (e.g. armed or unarmed) and an all weather road for patrol and response. By splitting out the sensors, cameras, lights, roads and such, the remaining wall-only cost per mile will be a lot easier to sell. Even so, more than half of the request is just for barrier (wall or bollard).
Some of the technology spending, like sensors and drones, can much more quickly, and much more cheaply cover the broad stretches of rural and rough terrain - and effectively secure the whole border faster and cheaper.
How about this instead: we build the wall, as he was elected to do, and any aliens here illegally caught north of the wall after a certain date are stood up against it and shot.
The cost of the Wall is nothing compared to the cost of not having the Wall. This topic should be non-negotiable. If I were Trump, I would shut down the government for one week for every day that Congress fails to fund the Wall.
I want a yuge wall on our southern border, just like Israel has!
“any aliens here illegally caught north of the wall after a certain date are stood up against it and shot.”
No wonder you are called Extremely Extreme...
The money they are requesting would buy a good baseline program that will steadily build high quality wall, and improve control all along the border. It is a solid improvement across the board, and covers all the bases.
Once the program is in place, it is a lot easier to add more money to it later. You can only eat so much at one sitting.
Another source of funding might be found later, like Mexico paying for it in some manner, or El Chapo’s seized assets being dedicated to it. Or a future Congress could just increase it any given year. We would be in a much better position to go hog wild on wall construction then, if we stand up a long term structured program now, fully staffed and trained, regularly exercised in wall building.
agreed, friggin rhinos, we should have had everything already
“BUT AMNESTY WILL GO ON FOREVER AND EVER AND EVER including parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, etc”
.
.
.
Of course you are spot on, but what I see NO ONE talking about, are the anchor babies of the DACA kids (most of which AREN’T kids). Everyone is focused on the DACA people bringing in their relatives, once those DACA kids drop anchor, their kids will be given the green light to grant citizenship to their (now older) DACA parents and everyone else in the family. End the Anchor Baby program ASAP.
10 years is too long to wait for the fence.
We’ve been waiting for border security since 1986.
“Any wall that is not FULLY FUNDED is never ever going to be completed.”
No matter how much money they plan to put into a ten year budget (which is the standard budget window), The actual funding level can/will be adjusted every year based on the new budget from Congress, or what the Executive Branch decides to do with it.
This request is a significant step up across the board for border security. It gets wall building going, gets seriously effective wall built, and puts it first where it will do the most good - although it is not a plan to build a 2,000 mile wall in one Presidential term. It is still a big improvement.
This is beyond discouraging!!
“Although this approach does not maximize wall construction, it probably is a more cost effective full spectrum approach to achieve the desired outcomes of controlling immigration, removing illegals, interdicting drugs, and securing the Nation from hostile groups like terrorists.”
says propaganda of globalist fox.
10 years my foot!!
This bull crap is unacceptable and will dissipate the trump base like he will never believe. We want the wall!! All the wall and Now!!
This wall is never going to happen. I love President Trump and everything he stands for and has accomplished thus far. But, if he does not get this task accomplished it will have been a disappointing presidency because the future of this country depends on a leak proof wall and huge curbs on immigration, including Anchor Babies where people come on vacation to the US and have their kids born as citizens. We are truly a stupid country. The Democrats are treasonous for placing party over country. Trump is our last and only hope on this issue. If it’s not significantly completed in his first term, it will be over because Democrats and RINOs will see to it.
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.