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Construction Begins on Hi-Tech US Virtual Border Fence
Work on the proposed "virtual fence" along the U.S. / Mexico border finally began this week, putting an end to the years of delays and hemming and hawing by officials. Consisting of cameras, sensors, and other technology, the virtual fence is intended to stem the tide of illegal immigration and smuggling along the border. The increased surveillance is meant to compliment the thousands of new border agents and small sections of physical fences that were part of the 2003 Secure Border Initiative.
The first part of the $6.7 billion project will cover 23 miles south of Tucson, AZ, but will eventually cover nearly all of the 2,000 mile border with Mexico. Only the 200 mile stretch of the Big Bend National Park in Southwest Texas will be excluded, though that area is expected to be addressed in later legislation.
Officials expect the first sections of the virtual fence to be operational by year's end, though, as we all know, expectations and actual results rarely match up when it comes to government. [From: NY Times]
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Comments
5
Subscribe to commentsMadMikeMay 11th 2009 3:46PM
I liked the idea of the Friendship trench. A 2,000 mile long, 100 foot wide by 160 foot deep trench filled with water and piranhas.
wayne8734May 11th 2009 4:46PM
shame they can't have a electric current running through their virtual fence. lol
WyverndudeMay 11th 2009 6:56PM
The whole concept of a fence -of any kind- is unworkable. And even if they built the ultimate wall, that does nothing to address those that enter legally but stay after their visa expires. And not ALL illegals come from Mexico.
Illegal immigration is the rampant problem that it is because it's worth it. The risks are negligible, the rewards are large, and it's too hard to immigrate legally.
What's really needed is reforms to make it easier to get a green card, huge fines for employers who hire illegals, and rewards for turning in an employer of illegals.
If those who take advantage of illegals knew they were facing huge fines and jail time, they wouldn't hire them. If nobody's hiring them, they won't come.
Then untangle the mass of red tape that it takes to get a green card. Just reverse the risk/rewards balance and the problem disappears.
Daniel HerzerMay 11th 2009 8:19PM
Wyverndude, this is one of the best short statements about the situation I have read. I would add that the relative success of some historical border fences, eg the wall in pre-unified Germany, was due to the fact that much of that fence was actually a double fence with the area in between a killing zone.
joeinbostMay 11th 2009 7:43PM
Only reason the immagrants come to this country is JOBS Make it illegal to hire an ILLEGAL and that woudl stop the flow. Two Years ago they caught 150 people using the same Social Security Number, at a Meat packing plant in Catcus Tx. The owner was Tom Hicks owner of the Rangers Mancheaster Union and Dallas Stars. He is the next door Neighbor to George W Bush. Lets change the law you get caught hiring an Illegal you loss EVERYTHING