Dem Congress may scrap border fence

R

rick_reno

Moderator
Did Bush want this fence? I never had the feeling he was behind it - and signed the authorization as a political move.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 13 (UPI) -- The incoming U.S. Congress will review the law mandating 700 miles of fence along the U.S.-Mexico border, and may seek to scrap the plan altogether.

Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., told reporters this week that he expected to "re-visit" the issue when he becomes chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee in the 110th Congress, which has a Democratic Party majority.

He said that the high technology Secure Border Initiative, or SBI Net -- essentially a set of monitors, cameras and other integrated surveillance systems to monitor the border -- was a viable alternative.

"We might do away with it, or look at (integrating it into) SBI Net," he said, "A virtual fence rather than a real one."

The Secure Fence Act, one of the laws passed by the GOP-controlled Congress in a pre-election flurry of border security legislation, mandates 700 miles of fencing in five sections, and defines where on the 1,951-mile southern border they should go.

As a result, some administration officials view it as an example of congressional micro-management, and might welcome changes that gave them more flexibility.

Department of Homeland Security Spokesman Russ Knocke told United Press International that in remote border areas, "virtual fencing ... is more advantageous," whereas "traditional fencing has a core role in our border security strategy ... especially in urban areas."

"We're optimistic that working with Congress we'll get the flexibility to integrate traditional fencing into a seamless, high-tech border security system," Knocke said.
 
Doesn't matter if it's a fence or a surveillance system. If the Congress and Executive is committed, it'll work. If they're not, it'll be smoke and mirrors a year from now. The legislation was a poorly prepped, pre-election gambit.

Thompson may be promoting a better alternative, if the funding is there. He may be promoting to replace a viable option with smoke and mirrors. One can only conclude the latter thru circular argument:
"He's not a Republican. Therefore, he must be proposing Smoke and Mirrors".

I suggest we wait and see. The original bill was hardly a National Cure All.
Rich
 
Good thing all those democrats were elected. :rolleyes:

Actually, if they do scrap it, they'd find themselves out on their ears faster than they can blink.
 
That fence is like trying to pee out a forest fire. It won't work, and will just waste money and create a false sense of security. Our nation has a mind-blowingly large border (and coastline). It is a pipe dream to think you can fence it in.

We need to begin the process of expelling illegal immigrants and punishing those who employ them with criminal sanctions. Make the atmosphere hostile to illegals and you won't need a fence.

As far as "securing the borders" from terrorists. That is a joke. Can not be done, period.

I do applaud them for trying, and the new idea too. But they know it won't go anywhere.
 
Congress passed enabling legislation. The fence was thrown into a bucket of initiative with lump funding. How that lump was divvied up is the job of the president. It was a last minute compromise which allowed the senate to pass a bill knowing the fence would not be built.

Bidness as usual.
 
I think our Government should "try" to get Mexico to do their share to stop Illegal Immigration,, of course that is a dream. Next thing might be to tell the Mexican Government, for every Illegal we find,, we will cut our Foriegn Aid by $10,000 just to help pay OUR costs for them being here.. I have been trying to find out how much Aid we send them and I haven't found it so far,, but we ALL KNOW,, they are getting some. Maybe we tell all the American Companies that we will "Tax" them $500.00 for each Illegal we find based on the production of their plants,, just to be fair. How about no more Mexican Lettuce or Tomatoes if the illegal immigration is not controlled by Mexico?? There are SO many ways we could deal a real hurt to them and induce them to control THEIR borders too,, but of course we won't, we never do anything that seems a little Incorrect...In time we will all lose our guns, In time we will be attacked,, in time someone will drop or deliver an Nuclear bomb,, it is going to happen,, it is just a matter of when. We are so busy hiding and trying to be the "nice guys" it is inevatable. The sad part is we are asking for it and I am sure someone will accomodate our requests
 
I agree there are dozens if not hundreds of approaches to put a stop to the illegals almost over night, and that the fence is just smoke and mirrors. I seriously doubt it will ever happen unless we have some drastic changes in our leaders mindset.
 
The fence was a ridiculous idea from the very beginning. It was just another way to send tax dollars towards a couple well connected construction and services companies for something that we did not need in the first place.

The first step towards stoping the flow is to go after the employers that hire these people. If they can't get hired they will stop coming in mass like they are doing now. The govt has refused to enforce laws that prohibit hiring illegal labor. That needs to stop.

Then we need to see to it that the ones that come in are not rewarded for being able to hide long enough by being given drivers liscense or citizenship or welfare. It just ticks me off when someone tries to tell me a child of an illegal should be a citizen if they were born here. I do not agree with that if the parents were here illegally then the child is here illegally also.
 
Greg Bell,

That fence is like trying to pee out a forest fire. It won't work, and will just waste money and create a false sense of security. Our nation has a mind-blowingly large border (and coastline). It is a pipe dream to think you can fence it in.
Click to expand...
Do you have a fence around your property? Do you expect it to keep out any and all nefarious types?
 
Playboypenguin,

The fence was a ridiculous idea from the very beginning. It was just another way to send tax dollars towards a couple well connected construction and services companies for something that we did not need in the first place.
Click to expand...
The fence in San Diego has lowered illegal immigration as well crime rates in the county. This fence is modeled after that one. It strains credulity for you to suggest a fence is “a ridiculous idea” when the plain and simple facts based on tangible and historical data, show a fence does actually accomplish what it is supposed to; lower the number of illegal border crossers, eliminate vehicle crossings at places other than a port, and act as a force multiplier for the Border Patrol.

Seriously, go right ahead and claim this is some “republican, big-business money game”, but don’t try to justify that claim with the argument that the fence is “ridiculous”. You end up just making yourself sound foolish...
 
Seriously, go right ahead and claim this is some “republican, big-business money game”, but don’t try to justify that claim with the argument that the fence is “ridiculous”. You end up just making yourself sound foolish...
Click to expand...

Correct, Ahenry ( I suspect)lives on the front lines and knows the facts on the border, I also am very familiar with south texas and the fence is needed along with many boots on the ground in uniform of your choice to back up the fence.

Mexican people (70%) have said they would move to the US if possible and as all of south America deteriorates along with many third world countries many more will come, the question is how many can we absorb.
 
No real good answers for this problem. We've been "in bed" with cheap Mexican labor for too long; additionally, that idiotic "born in the U.S., citizen of the U.S." truly complicates the situation. We're not going to deport eleven-million Mexicans.

Building the fence will have about as much impact as a pimple on a gnat's posterior.
 
All of South America,...

....Central America, and Mexico are detriorating because of our historically abusive meddling, funding of super right anti-communist regimes, support of human rights violating despots....hey....we created the monster that is Southern hemisphere politics...and we are paying now.:rolleyes:
 
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