Posted on 07/13/2007 2:51:19 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
SAN DIEGO - Bulldozers are rolling again on the U.S.-Mexico border, moving hundreds of tons of dirt to make way for a 16-foot steel fence in an area that once was the most popular crossing for illegal immigrants.
But before the construction resumed recently, the 14-mile project in San Diego was stalled for years by legal challenges from environmentalists, budget problems and difficulties buying land. Those delays are now raising doubts about a government plan to extend fencing to 370 miles of the Mexican border.
The Bush administration, under pressure to tighten border security, wants all 370 miles done by the end of next year.
"If past experience is any guide, it will cost a lot more than anyone expected and take a lot longer than anyone is talking about right now," said David Shirk, director of the University of San Diego's Trans-Border Institute, which studies border issues.
The Homeland Security Department has yet to say where it will build fences in California, Arizona and New Mexico. And the only proposal made public so far — for Texas — drew immediate criticism and is being reworked. Opponents worried it would limit access to the Rio Grande, damage the environment and infuriate Mexicans who cross the border to shop and visit.
The 1,952-mile border stretches over sensitive terrain, including two national wildlife refuges in Arizona. And negotiations for land owned by scores of ranchers and Indian tribes may be challenging.
Democratic Rep. Silvestre Reyes of Texas predicted the construction of so much fencing will be a "huge problem," noting opposition among many residents and even some Border Patrol field leaders who would prefer the money be spent on manpower and equipment.
The San Diego fence, tilted 45 degrees at the top to deter climbers, starts at the coastline and stretches 14 miles inland. Construction began in 1996, and there are still five miles to go.
Until the mid-1990s, illegal immigrants had crossed in droves. They would slip across the border and huddle on U.S. soil as the handful of Border Patrol agents assigned to the area watched from a distance. When night fell, they ran for it.
"It was a never-ending battle, and we were losing very badly," said Don McDermott, a Border Patrol supervisor who worked the area in the 1980s.
The nine miles of fencing completed so far have had a dramatic impact, along with more manpower and stadium lighting. Arrests are way down in San Diego, but traffic shifted to Arizona deserts.
Those people who do make it across are increasingly desperate. More immigrants are attempting to swim across the border or crawl through crude tunnels, said Raleigh Leonard, supervisor of the Border Patrol's Imperial Beach station.
The final five miles of fencing in San Diego will cover some of the most rugged terrain and most sensitive habitats on the border. For example, to fill an area called "Smuggler's Gulch," crews are expected to move nearly 3 million tons of dirt — enough to fill about 100,000 giant dump trucks.
Border Patrol officials say they need a fence in the gulch because its urban surroundings give agents limited time to catch people before they melt into the local population.
But environmentalists worry that shifting dirt will spill north into a federally protected estuary, disrupting a key stopover for more than 370 species of migratory and native birds.
A 2005 law giving the federal government authority to waive all rules prohibiting fence construction prompted a judge to dismiss a legal challenge to the San Diego fence. The law should help smooth the way elsewhere along the border, too.
Homeland Security spokesman Brad Benson said the agency wants to be a good environmental steward and will favor a "virtual fence" of sensors, radar and cameras in remote, environmentally sensitive areas and on tribal lands.
The government believes it can finish the 370 miles of fence on time and hopes to avoid the kind of pitfalls that delayed work in San Diego, Benson said. He said Congress has appropriated enough money — $1 billion for fencing and other infrastructure — to complete the project and that, unlike San Diego, the terrain will not be such a hindrance.
"Most of what we'll build is out in flat desert, and it's not that hard to do," he said.
Within the next few weeks, Benson said, the agency will put final touches on plans to complete the 14-mile San Diego fence and then solicit construction bids. Homeland Security also began a series of public meetings this week along the border to discuss the agency's plans to extend the fence to 370 miles.
Shirk, of the University of San Diego's Trans-Border Institute, remains skeptical: "It's a really, really big project that won't go so quickly."
A disjointed border fence separates Mexico, right, from an area known as Smugglers Gulch in the United States Wednesday, May 30, 2007, in San Diego. The area has long been difficult for the Border Patrol because of the rugged terrain and is currently being modified by the National Guard using earth moving equipment. The terrain has prevented the completion of the new border fence and maintenance of the current fence. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)
We have to proceed slowely. We have to make sure that, at $9 million per mile for the fence, it’s done right.
I don’t think we would have an inch of border fence down there if it wasn’t for Duncan Hunter.
What happened to the 700~854 miles of required fence?
I thought that the now failed amnesty reduced it to 370 miles, but since that was defeated the 700~854 miles of fence was still required.
It's taken them 11 years to build 14 miles of fence? Can there be any legitimate debate about the failings of our government?
....because my friend and I will be fighting it every step of the way with environmental lawsuits and every other method we can find....
It use to cost $1 Million per mile for the Interstate Freeways! but then manhattan cost only $24.00.
“It’s taken them 11 years to build 14 miles of fence? Can there be any legitimate debate about the failings of our government?”
This is the America that Japan was hoping to find when they attacked Pearl Harbor.
I have seen these three old ladies on tv several times in the past month.
“Where’s the fence?”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90SDkhwnEIo
Even John McCain can’t explain why we haven’t built the fence (OR, where the money went that was provided). 800 miles was approved, and only 2 miles built in the past eight months? McCain shows what a loser he is, in this clip:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=pdg8JVUStSo
We built the Empire State Building, the tallest building in the world, in 400 days, back in 1931!
Now we can't build a lousy FENCE?
No, actually, we CAN build it, but the powers that be don't WANT to build it, since it runs 180* against their goal of integrating the continent into one NAU.
Here 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.
Wow, I didn't know that.
We're not building a fence because we can't afford it. We're not building a fence because out government won't. I'm getting very frustrated about it.
My two cents, Ron Paul is not the answer because he will never be elected.
i heard u.s. senator lieberman on the sean hannity show today actually say that he wants walls and hi tech on the border.
I’m not hopeful either.
Demand a border fence! Build it NOW!! Beef up the border patrol and close our borders!
U.S. Senate switchboard: (202) 224-3121
U.S. House switchboard: (202) 225-3121
White House comments: (202) 456-1111
Find your House Rep.: http://www.house.gov/writerep
Find your US Senators: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
Toll free to the US Senate:
1-800-882-2005. (Spanish number)
1-800-417-7666. (English number)
Courtesy of a pro-amnesty group, no less!!
Republican National Committee
310 First Street, SE Washington, D.C. 20003
phone: 202.863.8500 | fax: 202.863.8820 | e-mail: info@gop.com
Take a look at their hidden agenda: http://www.mexica-movement.org
People are paying attention more and more these days to who is being responsible and helpful towards progress...who is listening to their constituents..and who isn't....and taking names and will be kicking a** come '08. Hopefully Hunter will get the recognition he deserves....
oops tag line error...hate that when that happens...:o)
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"As Americans we must always remember that we all have a common enemy, an enemy that is dangerous, powerful and relentless. I refer, of course, to the federal government." --Dave Barry
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BTTT
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