Survey says 76% want fences at U.S.-Mexico borders

news-sentinel.com ^ | Sep. 09, 2006 | Rob Joesbury

[VU4G10]

Survey says 76% want fences at U.S.-Mexico borders

Rep. Souder cautions that bad law is worse than no law.

By Rob Joesbury rjoesbury@news-sentinel.com

Seventy-six percent of Allen County residents who answered a survey from U.S. Rep. Mark Souder, R-3rd District, believe the United States-Mexico border should be fenced.

Souder spokesman Martin Green said the six-question survey was mailed to frequent voters in every county in the 3rd District in July. He said Souder’s office continues to receive responses so the numbers are not yet final.

“I stand with the overwhelming number of Hoosiers throughout the Third District who believe that we need to secure our southwest border,” Souder said in a statement Friday. “I hope that Congress will address the border security issue before this election, but bad legislation is worse than no legislation.”

Across the district, 75 percent of respondents believe the border should be fenced.

Max Montesino, president of the Hispanic Leadership Coalition of Northeast Indiana Inc., said people should not delude themselves into thinking securing the border is a cure-all.

“A nation’s borders should be protected,” he said. “But people are confused if they think that solves the immigration problem. Comprehensive immigration reform is needed. And that doesn’t mean a blanket permit for immigration.”

The remaining questions on the survey also addressed border control and other hot-button immigration issues.

Seventy-nine percent of Allen County residents favored stationing National Guard troops on the border, while 95 percent believed English should be made the official language of the U.S.

Allen County was most divided on whether undocumented workers should be granted temporary work permits. Fifty-six percent were against it, and the rest were for it or undecided. Montesino favors work permits to grant immigrants full entry into the economy.

“It’s not amnesty. It’s not granting them citizenship. The guest-worker program President Bush has proposed would be a good step.”

---

Survey says…
 

A six-question survey was mailed to frequent voters in every county in the 3rd District in July. These numbers are not yet final, as responses are still coming in.

1. Do you believe the U.S. Mexico border should be fenced?
 

	Yes	No	Undecided
Allen County	3,759	740	445
3rd District	6,471	1,276	824

2. Do you favor stationing the National Guard on the border?
 

	Yes	No	Undecided
Allen County	3,969	685	400
3rd District	6,753	1,054	755

3. Do you believe English should be the official language of the United States?
 

	Yes	No	Undecided
Allen County	4,715	178	48
3rd District	8,198	255	87

4. Do you believe new U.S. citizens should be allowed to retain citizenship in another country?
 

	Yes	No	Undecided
Allen County	774	3,449	858
3rd District	1,268	6,036	1,383

5. Do you support a secure ID with biometric indicators (such as fingerprints)?
 

	Yes	No	Undecided
Allen County	3,614	685	708
3rd District	6,060	1,188	1,344

6. Do you favor temporary work permits for illegal immigrants?
 

	Yes	No	Undecided
Allen County	1,761	2,646	531
3rd District	2,943	4,783	841

Note: The 3rd District includes Allen, Elkhart, DeKalb, Kosciusko, LaGrange, Noble, Steuben and Whitley counties.

[EGPWS]

He might have gone senile or he truly hates this country.

Now that's a thought worthy of hours of contemplation.

Is he senile or does he hate us?

A tough conclusion to achieve.

[Peisistratus]

"Ah, the Contract with America. What ever happened to that?"

It got them power. Once that was achieved, it didn't really matter as it had served its purpose.

[Peisistratus]

"I suspected that dual citizenship would be a casualty of current political realities."

Dual citizenship is not supposed to be recognized by our laws.

[hnj_00]

amen...brother....here's to the minutemen...Keep up the vigilance!!!!!

[Amerigomag]

Fences are not necessary if appropriate steps begin domestically.

The first step is to implement the original intent of the 14th Amendment in our federal codes.

The second step is enforcement of existing immigration laws, throught these new codes, without regard to age, gender or reason for trespass. They all go home.

The third step is to force Mexico to respect our sovereignty. Use of our military and lethal force against Mexican civilians will be appropriate.

The forth step is to use our influence and a portion of the considerable tax savings realized from step 2, to educate Mexico's citizens and impose a republican system on the democratic process in Mexico.

After our southern border is no longer under organized attack from Mexico's government, then fencing may be an iconic option used to symbolize our resolve to protect our sovereignty. I doubt it will be necessary.

[tflabo]

Ahem.....message to GOP Senate and Congress. How many ways do we need to say this to you.

BORDERS>>>BORDERS>>>BORDERS>>> STAT for you Dr. Frist

[JRochelle]

My congressman rocks!

One of the best in the House...

[11B40]

I don't want only fences, I also want machine guns.




Lots of them.

[muawiyah]

Their employers no doubt.

[muawiyah]

Plus, Massachusetts has to build a fence around it'self so they can't get loose and bother the rest of the country.

[mthom]

“A nation’s borders should be protected,” he said. “But people are confused if they think that solves the immigration problem. Comprehensive immigration reform is needed. And that doesn’t mean a blanket permit for immigration.”

What exactly does it mean then Mr. Montesino? Because its seems the more you dig into the positions of people that favor "comprehensive" reform the more it seems they support just that. A blanket permit for immigration from mexico.

[04-Bravo]

I used to want just a fence. But now I want something that resembles the Berlin Wall.

[stephenjohnbanker]

You are probably correct. Our politicians have become "bought and paid for" whores, and not by any stretch just the Demoncrats.

[Niteflyr]

For the life of me I can't understand why Mexicans here and south of the border blame the US for its problems. Last I heard the government of Mexico is staffed by ....Mexicans...
not white Europeans of Asians or etc etc....(fill in your favorite ethnic group)..
if we don't build a fence and build it high they will never take responsibility for their own situation and do anything concrete about it....these protesters ought to direct their
hatred where it belongs...at their own people, country, and government...yeah like that's gonna happen! One can dream.

[Joe Boucher]

Berlin Wall was built to keep the East Germans from fleeing.
We need a wall to keep illegals out.

Damn tired of all those french canadians invading Florida every year. :)

[gaijin]

Mex Fans Pelt US Soccer Players with Bags of URINE, Chant, 'Osama..!'"

[Invisible Gorilla]

“A nation’s borders should be protected,” he said. “But people are confused if they think that solves the immigration problem. Comprehensive immigration reform is needed. And that doesn’t mean a blanket permit for immigration.”

Any immigration "reform" that doesn't deal with anchor babies isn't "comprehensive."

[Edit35]

Screw fences (unless they are electric).

I want a triple wall, one that cannot be scaled without a 60-foot ladder.

[bouchard3333]

no seventy six percent want WALLS at the border, not fences