[Wonder Warthog]

"If the government is so sure they can close the border without a fence, and make it impossible for illegals to work here without documents, then they need to prove that part of the plan works before they move foreward with any plan to allow more in."

Well, I certainly agree with the above--but a fence by itself will help nothing. The traffic will simply move to other areas of the border.

[Tammy8]

I have never said a fence by itself would solve the border issues. I have always said it will be a complicated process, requiring many steps. If step one is not a fence, then the other steps are meaningless.

You can't deport them faster than they can illegally enter, without a barrier. What we have now is a revolving door. Illegals return within hours or days of being deported, and the Border Patrol itself admits to only catching about 1/3 of the estimated 3 million illegal crossers each year.

Here is an interesting link to an article that came out about a year ago in USA Today. It will help you get some perspective on the illegal problem we really have on this border. I live very near the area discussed in the article.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-02-22-border-patrol_x.htm

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

but a fence by itself will help nothing. The traffic will simply move to other areas of the border.

To where? Will illegals raft through the Gulf of Mexico and come ashore or what?