Posted on 10/26/2006 8:51:12 AM PDT by PittsburghAfterDark
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush signed a bill Thursday authorizing 700 miles of new fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border, hoping to give Republican candidates a pre-election platform for asserting they're tough on illegal immigration.
"Unfortunately the United States has not been in complete control of its borders for decades and therefore illegal immigration has been on the rise," Bush said at a signing ceremony.
"We have a responsibility to enforce our laws," he said. "We have a responsibility to secure our borders. We take this responsibility serious." He called the fence bill "an important step in our nation's efforts to secure our borders."
The centerpiece of Bush's immigration policy, a guest worker program, remains stalled in Congress.
And a handful of House Republican are at the brakes, blocking negotiations with the Senate for a bill that includes the president's proposal.
Still, Bush argues that it would be easier to get his guest worker program passed if Republicans keep their majorities in the House and Senate after the Nov. 7 elections. His proposal would allow legal employment for foreigners and give some of the estimated 11 million to 12 million illegal immigrants in the United States a shot at becoming American citizens. The measure Bush put into law Thursday before heading for campaign stops in Iowa and Michigan offers no money for the fence project covering one-third of the 2,100-mile border.
Its cost is not known, although a homeland security spending measure the president signed earlier this month makes a $1.2 billion down payment on the project. The money also can be used for access roads, vehicle barriers, lighting, high-tech equipment and other tools to secure the border.
Mexican officials have criticized the fence. Outgoing Mexican President Vicente Fox, who has spent much of his six years in office lobbying for a new guest worker program and a chance at citizenship for the millions of Mexicans working illegally in the U.S., calls the fence "shameful" and compares it to the Berlin Wall.
Others have doubts about its effectiveness.
"A fence will slow people down by a minute or two, but if you don't have the agents to stop them it does no good. We're not talking about some impenetrable barrier," T.J. Bonner, president of the National Border Patrol Council, a union representing Border Patrol agents, said Wednesday. Customs and Border Protection statistics show that apprehensions at border crossings are down 8 percent nationally for the budget year that just ended, Bonner said. Apprehensions were up in the San Diego sector, he said, an area of the nearly 2,000-mile border that has the most fencing.
A spokesman for Customs and Border Protection would not confirm the statistics or discuss reasons for the increase in the San Diego sector. Sens. John Cornyn and Kay Bailey Hutchison, both Texas Republicans, had wanted to amend the fence bill to give local governments more say about where fencing is erected. They lost that battle, but Republican leaders assured them the Homeland Security Department would have flexibility to choose other options instead of fencing, if needed.
Cornyn said he voted for the fence because he wanted to help demonstrate that Congress was serious about border security.
"The choice we were presented was: Are we going to vote to enhance border security, or against it?" Cornyn said. "I think that's how the vote was viewed."
but according to earlier threads this a.m.
the FENCE IS STILL NOT FUNDED!
Its cost is not known, although a homeland security spending measure the president signed earlier this month makes a $1.2 billion down payment on the project. The money also can be used for access roads, vehicle barriers, lighting, high-tech equipment and other tools to secure the border.
Just because there's been monies allocated, doesn't mean the fence will be completed in a timely manner.
Bingo I agree. To the freepers whom said the bill would not be signed, it is signed. To the freepers whom NOW say it will not be funded or built, you will once again be proven wrong. Then you will find another pet project to bash GW over. We are damn lucky to have GW as our president. May God blees this country, our troops and GW.
You can get alot of fence installed for the initial 1.2 billion, so they need to get started NOW.
"Unfortunately the United States has not been in complete control of its borders for decades and therefore illegal immigration has been on the rise,"
-----
"unfortunately" is not the right word that should apply to the impact on the country, the REAL citizens of America, our demographics, our soverignty, the meaning of our citizenship, our security, the rampany WASTE of American tax dollars, the building of the liberal welfare state, etc. --- the brutal price Americans have paid and will continue to pay.
And this massive payment by the citizens only benefits the businesses and the politicians that foster it, while the citizenry pays the price tag.
I think Bush would veto it if he felt he had a choice but basically the house republicans dragged him kicking and screaming to deal with the problem. Remember, Bush wanted "comprehensive" reform and constantly preached his "guest worker" (amnesty) proposal. The bill he signed today is Not the one he wanted. It took him forever just to put a few more troops on the border, even after 9/11. Doesn't sound like someone seriously committed to securing the border.
yes, I remember reading that too but this a.m. there is another article that says just the opposite.
so who the heck knows...
..totally agree Pittsburgh--but let's add the Minutemen and the alternative media in that group-- they kept everyone's attention on this issue--it wasn't allow to go away...
So let's re-elect them already!
This should be a wake up call to all disgruntled cut-and-run conservatives to GET OFF YOUR ASSES AND VOTE FOR THE GOP ON ELECTION DAY!
Sorry PAD. Wasn't yelling at you!
"I recall a lot of Freepers panicking that they 'knew' he would not sign the bill because of his push for some sort of 'New World Order' superstate.
Now, I suppose they 'know' the fence will never be built."
If a plaintiff's lawyer gets a judgment for money damages, is it reasonable for him to be concerned that the defendant pays the judgment, considering that he had to summons him into court?
He's starting to "get it" though, I think.
I'm all for a reasonable guest worker program...AFTER THE BORDER IS SECURE.
I was gonna make the same comment ....
Show us the money... then I'll believe it! I don't believe either party wants what we the people want. Secure our borders! If our government can't, or worse won't, protect us from invasion in a time of war, it must be replaced with one that will. Bottom line.
Amen. Do any of the freepers whom still want to blame GW for all the immigration problems that were going on for the past 30 plus years, think if we had a donk controlled Congress we would be making ANY PROGRESS to dealing with immigration? Most of the donks voted against the bill! So staying home or voting third party reflects on them and not GW or the GOP.
"Outgoing Mexican President Vicente Fox, who has spent much of his six years in office lobbying for a new guest worker program and a chance at citizenship for the millions of Mexicans working illegally in the U.S., calls the fence "shameful" and compares it to the Berlin Wall. "
Sorry Vicente, Are you telling us that with this fence in place you will shoot Mexicans trying to get into America? Or are you telling us that America will shoot Mexicans here illegally and forced to go home?
IMHO, GMTA
So, what's the difference between a northern fairy-tale and a southern fairy-tale?
In South Bend, it begins with "Once upon a time . . .".
In Memphis, "Y'all ain't gonna believe this . . . ."
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.