Posted on 02/16/2009 4:46:30 AM PST by IbJensen
Eight congressional Democrats are urging President Barack Obama to suspend the construction of a “border fence” separating the United States from Mexico, a move that is sure to reignite the immigration debate months after the economic crisis bumped the issue from the national stage.
The construction of a border fence is a contentious issue in Democratic circles — especially among those congressmen who are of Hispanic decent or represent districts with a large Hispanic presence. They now hope Mr. Obama will undo some of the border-protection policies erected by the Bush administration. And the border fence sits at the top of the list.
“Though there are places where a fence is the most feasible option, we strongly believe the Bush administration’s approach of constructing a fence along much of the Southwest Border was ill-conceived as it was void of any meaningful input from the local communities or the Border Patrol Sector Chiefs who are most familiar with the challenges of securing our border,” eight Democratic lawmakers wrote Mr. Obama last week.
“In an era of advanced technologies, the border fence is an antiquated structure that has torn our communities apart and damaged our cross border relationships.”
In the letter, which was signed by U.S. Rep. Solomon P. Ortiz, D-Texas, along with U.S. Reps. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas; Susan Davis, D-Calif.; Bob Filner D-Calif.; Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz.; Ruben Hinojosa, D-Texas; Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas;and Ciro D. Rodriguez, D-Texas, the lawmakers argued the fact former President George W. Bush to steps to expedite the fence, coupled with the project’s rising costs, are both grounds for a temporarily suspend the fence’s construction.
“The previous administration undertook controversial measures to expedite the construction of border fencing, such as the waiver of more than 30 environmental laws,” the letter read, adding, “the costs associated with construction of border fencing have rapidly escalated.”
The fence, however, is a success story to the numerous border agents patrolling the still porous U.S.-Mexican border and the need for its completion is undeniable.
“I’ve flown before and come back and had 70-plus [illegal immigrants logged in a tracking book],” Border Patrol pilot Brad Smith told CNN’s John King. “I know guys who have gone on a flight and come back with 100-plus illegals in their logbook. Now it is in single digits, typically.”
In urban areas, the three-layered fence has made illegal border crossings incredibly difficult and when the Secured Fence Act of 2006 was debated, one the bill’s chief sponsors, former U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., joked if anyone could cross the border fence they should be recruited for a spot on the Olympic team.
The act was passed, with the support of then-Sen. Obama, and Congress budgeted close to $3 million for the construction of the security fence deemed necessary to stem the constant flow of illegal immigrants into the country. The fence, when completed, will cover 670 miles of land.
But the Democratic call to stop the fence may be too late as 601 miles of the fence are already complete leaving just 69 additional miles. And time is not the only factor working against open border advocates, as popular support, even among Latinos, favors measures reducing the number of illegal immigrants entering the country.
On the eve of Mr. Obama’s inauguration, the Pew Hispanic Forum asked Latinos what were the issues they deemed “extremely important.” Despite the clamor of Latino rights advocates, which showed up in Washington clamoring for amnesty for the estimated 13 million illegal immigrants, immigration did not even make the top five.
Ordinary Latinos were concerned about the economy, education, health care, national security and the environment.
In a few more months it will be a difficult task to find a person who will admit voting for this communist.
and here I thought that this anti-american, ignorant, clumsy muslim wanted government spending on infrastructure, which is what the border fence is - in progress, creating jobs and is spending money right now? So why stop it and put these people out of work, zero?
That’s right. Americans are losing jobs right and left. Let’s get the Democrat congress and Osama on record now saying they will dismantle the fence and open the border. That’ll go over well.
Well,we all knew this was coming.Hey dumbacraps!Guess who is likely to lose a job with more illegals in the country?Man, these people are stupid and there is just no fix for that.
Someone tell Obrother that El Paso is resembling a Somali style warzone. The news is coming a bit slow out of Texas.
Well, now we know why and who dragged the construction. The money has already been allotted.
FYI
Let’s see...increases in gang violence in cities accross the country; narcotrafficing at an all-time high; strained public services due to illegals flooding our schools, hospitals and prisons; State government finances in the red; social security and medicare insolvent....
If I didn’t know any better, I would say that there is an ulterior motive in allowing our borders to remain unsecured that doesn’t involve inexpensive lettuce.
I don't think so at all. Sadly, this is what a lot of people want. Maybe not a majority, but certainly not a broom closet minority
I say this because we were used to some degree of freedom and peace within our own nation. Now these communist rats will turn everything upside down and they may not have to wait until the Second Coming to get their just punishment.
Those someona beaches!
So, tell me again how the democRATS are patriotic & want to protect America.....
So true,so true.
http://pewhispanic.org/reports/report.php?ReportID=101
Excerpt:
Only three-in-ten (31%) Latinos rate immigration as an “extremely important” issue facing the incoming Obama administration, placing it sixth on a list of seven policy priorities that respondents were asked to assess in a nationwide survey
Democrats need to import their voters.
They don’t breed much, and they often kill their young before they are born. Convenience, you know.
“These socialist cork soakers are going for it all in the first two months of the administration. “
Because they know that this may be their last chance to ever commit such acts of treason. The next item they are working on is trying to make it so they are never removed from office (Obama: changing tax structure so that even fewer people pay taxes and those that do will pay more, thereby guaranteeing the marxixts a permanent majority of the electorate; Obama: attempting to take the census into the Whitehouse where his operatives can abuse the system and further ensure favorable electoral districting.)
Where are all the sobbing idiots who were accusing Bush of every evil known to man - with no substance or evidence to back their accusations? What if Bush even announced his plans to do any of these things?
If a conservative government ever gets back in control of this country, they will have to rid the system of all of this mess created by Obama if we are going to survive as a country - regardless if these obamidiots burn their cities to the ground in protest.
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.