Posted on 10/04/2006 8:51:11 AM PDT by radar101
During a campaign swing through Arizona, President Bush plans to sign a bill that could bring hundreds of miles of fencing to the busiest illegal entry point on the U.S.-Mexico border.
The signing will be another move in Bush's get-tough approach to illegal immigration and will come in the state that has been the illegal entry hot spot for several years and the center of much of the debate over secure borders.
Democratic Gov. Janet Napolitano was expected to be present for the bill signing Wednesday at the Camelback Inn in Paradise Valley. The ceremony will follow a breakfast fundraiser for U.S. Rep. Rick Renzi, a Republican seeking a third term from Arizona's sprawling 1st District.
Included in the Homeland Security funding measure Bush plans to sign is $1.2 billion for border security spending, including fences and other barriers along the border.
Bush's actions come despite last-minute pleas from the Mexican government for him to veto the bill. In a diplomatic note sent to the United States on Monday, Mexico harshly criticized the Senate vote authorizing 700 miles of new fencing along the border.
The money will also go toward border infrastructure and other security assets and resources that will complement the development of a high-tech virtual fence that DHS announced almost two weeks ago, agency spokesman Russell Knocke said.
DHS awarded a $67 million contract to Boeing Co. to install 28 miles of high-tech fencing along a portion of the Arizona border, including towers with cameras and other sophisticated sensing devices. The $67 million comes from money allocated during the fiscal year that ended Saturday, Knocke said.
The government has said the virtual fence will eventually cover 6,000 miles along the Mexican and Canadian borders in efforts to make them secure. It has not placed a price tag on the project.
"Fencing is an important part of the plan for the urban areas," Knocke said. Physical fencing will be more critical in those settings where undocumented crossers can quickly blend in with crowds of people, he said.
In remote areas, Knocke added, the virtual fencing will be more important in enabling Border Patrol agents to intercept illegal immigrants "on their own terms and in the location of their own choosing."
Mario Martinez, a Border Patrol spokesman in Washington, said no figures were available yet on how much fencing is to be built.
The visit will be Bush's 15th to Arizona as president, and second since a May 18 stop in Yuma to tour the U.S.-Mexican border near San Luis.
"The president has shown that he loves Arizona and the voters ... have stayed with him, they're true supporters, true in their loyalty to him," Renzi said.
Following a day of campaigning in California for Republican candidates, Bush arrived in Phoenix on Tuesday night and stayed at the Camelback Inn.
Resort officials said Bush became the fourth U.S. president to have slept at the Camelback Inn - joining his father, George H.W. Bush, John F. Kennedy and Dwight Eisenhower.
I am shocked!! Shocked I tell ya!
Now let's see the funding................
Immigration
Napolitano vetoed bills promoting English immersion and education, a high-tech border radar system, a prison in Mexico to house illegal immigrant criminals, more stringent driver's license ID requirements, National Guard at the border, and a state trespassing measure. 2006
HB 2577 Vetoed comprehensive immigration reform bill, which would have increased border security and empowered law enforcement officials to crack down on fraudulent document use and illegal employment.
SB 1157 Vetoed a bill that would have created the state crime of trespassing in order to give local law enforcement a tool to cut down on illegal immigration.
2005
SB 1523 Vetoed a bill that would have required MVD employees to confiscate fraudulent documents.
SB 1167 Vetoed a bill that would have made English Arizona's official language.
HB 2030 Vetoed a bill that would have required proof of citizenship to obtain certain taxpayer-funded state benefits.
HB 2709 Vetoed a bill that would have allowed a private prison to be built along the border in Mexico to handle detention of criminals along the border.
SB 1306 Vetoed a bill that would have allowed local law enforcement to help the federal authorities enforce immigration laws.
SB 1511 Vetoed a bill that would have prohibited law enforcement or other government agencies, commissions, boards or districts from accepting identification documents unless they are issued by a political subdivision, Indian tribe, or state or federal authority.
"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 Paleologus
I am from the "believe it when I see it" school, as this newfound zeal has been totally absent without leave for his entire Presidency.
Janet is an unmitigated disaster!
I want to watch this signing and I want a split screen of Vicente weeping and ranting.
BTW, lesson number one, we can force Republicans to do the right thing. Even if only piece by piece and it takes awhile.
You can't force Dems to do the right thing because their main base cherishes immorality, and those that don't in their base, are too weak politically to overcome them.
Vote Republican. Fund Republicans. Recruit Votes for Republicans. Now.
Better late than never. Now, let's see construction begin. Yesterday.
I'm with you.
Mario Martinez, a Border Patrol spokesman in Washington, said no figures were available yet on how much fencing is to be built.
I hear they've funded 3 feet.
Wonder what the bookies in Vegas are giving?........ : )
Great tagline!
ping
I hope they did an environmental impact study first. We wouldn't want to interfere with the migratory movement of ants.
I'm glad Bush is going to sign the bill. However, I'm worried that some sort of deal has been cut to give the President his guestworker program after the election.
better late than never...
700 down, 1300 to go
at the rate this is going, it will take longer to build than the Great Wall of China. LOL
So what? NO FIGURES FOR THE EXACT AMOUNT OF FUNDING HAVE YET BEEN ISSUED... which means they have voted on the decision to build the fence, and that is all.
I trust the Republicans about as far as I can throw them, and I trust the Democrat party exactly 99% less than that.
Expect that this fence bill, which only calls for fencing 700 of the roughly 2200 miles of the US/Mexican border, to take YEARS to implement and cost hundreds of millions of dollars more than it should.
Expect that a large part of it will wind up being a "virtual fence", which means no fence at all.
Expect that, if the Democrats win back the House, this project will NEVER get off the ground... because the Dims rely on the ever-expanding amounts of voter fraud perpetuated by illegals.
President Bush "getting tough" on illegal immigration? hahahahahaha Bush is the single biggest champion of the illegals.
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