Border Revealed (new detailed map, pictures of border fence)

America Patrol Report ^ | July 21, 2009 | Glenn Spencer

[org.whodat]

And how many million did this little, little, little bit of fence cost???

[La Lydia]

Here are some more pictures. I would be interested in hearing your description of how a child could get through these:

http://images.chron.com/blogs/txpotomac/border_fence.jpg

This is what a lot of the fence looks like on the ground:

http://blogs.chron.com/immigration/archives/border%20fence

http://www.ktsm.com/files/ktsm/media/news/5-20-09_bordersecurity6.jpg

http://watergaps.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/img_87731.jpg

And finally, my favorite, from Yuma sector:

http://www.duneguide.com/images/ISDRA-BorderFence-8.jpg

[org.whodat]

Yes, that is what the authorizing legislation said. However, in the appropriations bill that provided funding for the fence project, Senator Hutchison successfully gutted the Hunter requirement by inserting language that LEFT THE KIND OF FENCE TO BE BUILT UP TO THE SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY. Here is the Hutchison language:

The work of the Texas Witch , Senator Kay the "Female Dog" Hutchinson

[La Lydia]

You know, I could answer your question, both in the aggregate and and by individual segment and/or type of fence. But I have exchanged views with you before and you have insulted me in extremely nasty, ad hominem and gratuitous (look it up) ways on more than one occasion. So I decline.

[La Lydia]

They couldn't cancel the funding for the original 670 miles because it was already appropriated and the projects have been bid. What happened a couple of months ago was the introduction of BO's budget, which did not fund any additional border fence construction. The FY 2010 Homeland Security Appropriation bill hasn't been moved yet, probably won't be until fall, and I don't know what is in it.

I also found this, which doesn't indicate if it is authorization or appropriations, at

http://www.lvrj.com/news/50575427.html

Senate pushes border fence work

Vote says 700 miles must be finished by end of 2010

By STEVE TETREAULT

STEPHENS MEDIA BUREAU

WASHINGTON -- The Senate voted last week to require the government to speed work on security fences being built along the U.S. border with Mexico. Senators voted 54-44 for an amendment requiring 700 miles of fencing be completed by Dec. 31, 2010. Sponsoring Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., said officials claim 661 miles of fencing has been completed, but that includes vehicle barriers and single-layer fencing....

[Deb]

Saw Napolitano on C-SPAN trying to kill it again this morning. Thanks for the update. I trust your info more than others.

[kabar]

Under the Secure Fence Act, the federal government was instructed to complete "at least 2 layers of reinforced fencing" along a total of about 670 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border before the end of 2008. (Secure Fence Act of 2006). However, in December 2007, Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) successfully attached an amendment to the 2008 Consolidated Appropriations Act that effectively gutted the two layer reinforced fencing requirement by giving DHS the discretion to construct other types of barriers to count toward the 670 mile total. (Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008, December 26, 2007). As a result, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported in January 2009 that only 32 miles of double-layered fencing had been built, and that DHS had no intention to significantly add to that total. (GAO Report, January 29, 2009). The DeMint Amendment restores DHS' original mandate to complete the entire 670-mile southwest border fence using only double-layered, reinforced fencing. On July 8, the Senate voted 54-44 to adopt the DeMint Amendment. (Senate Roll Call Vote #220, July 8, 2009).

[bgill]

Oh, my gosh! You’re right! There’s no way anyone can get through this:

http://americanpatrol.com/ABP/SURVEYS/BORDER-2009/RIO-GRANDE/EAST-RG/01.html

http://americanpatrol.com/ABP/SURVEYS/BORDER-2009/RIO-GRANDE/EAST-RG/08.html

http://americanpatrol.com/ABP/SURVEYS/BORDER-2009/RIO-GRANDE/EAST-RG/10.html

http://americanpatrol.com/ABP/SURVEYS/BORDER-2009/RIO-GRANDE/EAST-RG/11.html

http://americanpatrol.com/ABP/SURVEYS/BORDER-2009/RIO-GRANDE/EAST-RG/20.html

Never heard of walking around a barrier? There’s hundreds of miles where there is no fence whatsoever or when there is a fence it’s nothing more than a wire between two posts. Yep, real hard to get across.

[La Lydia]

Yes, I think I posted that above. Apparently the President hasn't signed it yet. It is in conference, but the House conference report has been filed, and here is the fence language (apparently they have effectively killed it in committee on environmental grounds)

The Committee retains bill language making no funds available for obligation for fencing or tactical infrastructure for which the Secretary intends to waive environmental or other legislation until 15 days after the intention to invoke such authority is published in the Federal Register. In addition, the Committee continues bill language stating no BSFIT funds may be obligated until the Secretary certifies that DHS has complied with the consultation provisions of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996.

Also, they cut the funding for the virtual fence.

[thefactor]

http://americanpatrol.com/ABP/SURVEYS/BORDER-2009/YUMA/HTML-YUMA/19.html

[La Lydia]

I agree with you. No way they are going to be stopped by something that is still under construction. Seriously, though, the fence was and is being built at locations that the Border Patrol determined it would be most effective. There are geographical barriers in many places that aren’t visible in all the photos. Far be it from me to second-guess them. If I had my way, we would have double fencing the entire length of the border. But I am not Queen yet, so I have to be happy with what we have. My reason for posting this was mostly to show what great work Glenn Spencer has done. Sorry to have offended you in any way.

[kabar]

The existing fencing is worthless. Yet, you give it gushing praise. If the Dems cut the Demint amendment out along with the Sessions amendment on e-verify, then our borders remain essentially open and welcoming to illegals.

[La Lydia]

That is vehicle fence. It is designed to block vehicles bringing in drugs across very rugged, remote terrain where pedestrians are less likely to try to cross (or will die trying).

[La Lydia]

I don’t know where you live. Have you gone and looked at different segments of the fence in person? I have, and a great deal of it is working the way it was designed to work. Some of the BP sectors have seen a 60 percent reduction in wetbacks. We definitely need e-verify.

[kabar]

I live in VA and have a home in Scottsdale, AZ. Glenn Spencer recently addressed our grassroots immigration group about the border and one of our members works for the USG on border security issues. The picture they paint is not encouraging and they are unhappy about the rosy picture being painted by the MSM and the Administration about how effective border security has become.

One of things they mentioned is the presence of hundreds of armed illegal aliens INSIDE OUR COUNTRY acting as lookouts for the drug smugglers along the border. They communicate with the drug smugglers on the Mexican side of the border pointing out where the BP is located and what avenues to take to get inside the US without detection and interdiction. I can't recall the name for these lookouts, but according to Spencer, their existence came as something of a surprise to some of the US officials that were briefed on this issue. There is a shooting war going on at the border.

The bottom line is that we are not doing enough. Again, I do not understand why you are so enthusiastic and full of praise for these meager efforts. Jim DeMint understands that the situation is far from satisfactory.

I am convinced that Obama and those supporting an amnesty, want to paint this rosy picture so they can go ahead with CIR. These sad pictures of single layer fencing should be a cause for concern, not praise.

[La Lydia]

Excuse me for admiring the engineering and construction work that went into the fence we have. I agree with you that we are not doing enough. But I would never dismiss the work of many people who I know were working in good faith in a very political environment to build something like they have. Pardon my enthusiasm. And as far as the MSM and the administration go, they have gone out of their way to say repeatedly that the fence doesn’t work, when parts of it work very. Remember, fence in and of itself doesn’t work, we also need more law enforcement personnel and more technology to make the fence work. We need more fence, and we need more double-layer fence, like what we’ve built in San Diego that Glenn didn’t get a chance to photograph. Again, Virginia neighbor, I apologize for my appreciation of the fence if it offends you that much.

[kabar]

I have been working as part of a local grassroots immigration group that lobbies on the Hill and in Richmond. We meet with Congressmen, state legislators, and testify before various committees. I understand the immigration issue and border control, which includes not only physical security at the border, but also, controlling those who enter the US legally thru the visa process. It is estimated that 30% to 40% of all illegals here are visa overstays.

The BP folks are not happy with the current situation. Neither am I. Obama, McCain, and others pay lip service to border security, but the reality is that they have held border security hostage to the passage of CIR. The do no favor enforcement first. If you read the 2007 McCain-Kennedy amnesty bill, they used border security milestones as part of CIR.

What I am afraid of is that the public will be fooled into believing that this marvelous fence has been built along with a virtual one and the border is now secure. So it is ok to go ahead with CIR and amnesty. I don't know how engaged you are in the immigration movement, but I am very skeptical about your "appreciation," of what has been built so far. Obama, Napolitano, and Chairman Cong. Bennie Thompson have been dragging their feet on the construction of the fence. And so were George Bush and Michael Chertoff until almost the end of their adminstration.

The Secure Fence Act passed 89-11 in the Senate with both Obama and Hillary voting for it. The reality was that this was just political cover for the Dems prior to the 2006 mid-terms.

[SwinneySwitch]

Ping!

If you want on, or off this S. Texas/Mexico ping list, please FReepMail me.

[c-b 1]

Apprehensions in the Yuma Sector are down over 90% according to BP. That is a great Report/photos by American Border Patrol, I check their site once in a while, it's been a while. Thanks for the post.

This Administration, like the Bush Administration, will use the Yuma Sector as an example that the border is secure, when they start going after amnesty again. Notice that the Yuma Sector has more actual fence than the other areas, the exceptions are the Barry Goldwater Bombing Range, where it is a long walk to anywhere, and the Colorado River, where BP has it covered like a blanket. We've been to the river area twice this year, there are BP in front of us nearly all the time we are there.

[La Lydia]

There is some fence in the Barry Goldwater range, but I don’t believe the entire range is fenced at the border. It would take one dumb immigrant to try to cross the desert there on foot, while the bombing is in progress.