Thread: In Arizona, Bush signs border fence measure

http://www.newschannel5.tv

In Arizona, Bush signs border fence measure

Wednesday, October 04, 2006
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) - President Bush has signed a measure that would erect 700 miles of new fencing along the border with Mexico.

But he says it's only a partial solution to illegal immigration.

On a campaign stop in Arizona, the president said he still wants Congress to pass a guest worker plan to relieve pressure on the border by cutting the numbers trying to sneak across.

The fencing's in a package of border upgrades in this year's Department of Homeland Security spending bill. It passed after efforts to include Bush's guest worker program broke down.

Bush signed the bill in between GOP fund-raisers in Arizona and Colorado, as he wrapped up a three-day Western swing.

Bush has used the swing to call Democrats soft on terrorism. He cites recent votes against his plans for warrantless wiretaps and tough interrogation of terror suspects that critics say border on torture.

http://kvoa.com/Global/story.asp?S=5496616

Bush signs border fence bill during Arizona campaign swing

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- President Bush on Wednesday signed a Homeland Security Department funding bill that would pay for hundreds of miles of fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border.

The fencing and other security measures the bill funds will help discourage illegal immigrants from crossing, Bush said.

"If people know they'll be caught and sent home if they come here illegally, they're going to be less likely to enter illegally in the first place," Bush said.

The signing is the latest in a series of get-tough moves by the Bush administration as it tries to deal with the hot political issue of illegal immigration.

The signing in Arizona, a state that has been the illegal entry hot spot for several years and the center of much of the debate over secure borders, was attended by Democratic Gov. Janet Napolitano and several Republicans, including Sen. Jon Kyl, Rep. J.D. Hayworth and Rep. Rick Renzi.

Napolitano called the bill "a good start."

"Congress isn't done yet. They've got to pass comprehensive immigration reform," she said. She pressed for a guest worker program as one of the needed elements.

"I'm going to be down in Yuma on Friday," Napolitano said. "I think I'm going to get an earful about the difficulty in getting out the harvest."

The ceremony followed a breakfast fundraiser for Renzi, who is seeking a third term from Arizona's sprawling 1st District.

The Homeland Security funding measure Bush signed included $1.2 billion for border security spending, including fences and other barriers along the border.

Bush's actions came despite pleas from the Mexican government for him to veto the bill. In a diplomatic note sent to the United States on Monday, Mexico harshly criticized the Senate vote authorizing 700 miles of new fencing along the border.

The money will also go toward border infrastructure and other security assets and resources that will complement the development of a high-tech virtual fence that DHS announced almost two weeks ago, agency spokesman Russell Knocke said.

DHS awarded a $67 million contract to Boeing Co. to install 28 miles of high-tech fencing along a portion of the Arizona border, including towers with cameras and other sophisticated sensing devices. The $67 million comes from money allocated during the fiscal year that ended Saturday, Knocke said.

The government has said the virtual fence will eventually cover 6,000 miles along the Mexican and Canadian borders in efforts to make them secure. It has not placed a price tag on the project.

"Fencing is an important part of the plan for the urban areas," Knocke said. Physical fencing will be more critical in those settings where undocumented crossers can quickly blend in with crowds of people, he said.

In remote areas, Knocke added, the virtual fencing will be more important in enabling Border Patrol agents to intercept illegal immigrants "on their own terms and in the location of their own choosing."

Mario Martinez, a Border Patrol spokesman in Washington, said no figures were available yet on how much fencing is to be built.

The visit was Bush's 15th to Arizona as president, and second since a May 18 stop in Yuma to tour the U.S.-Mexican border near San Luis.

"The president has shown that he loves Arizona and the voters ... have stayed with him, they're true supporters, true in their loyalty to him," Renzi said Tuesday.

Bush arrived in Phoenix on Tuesday night and stayed at the Camelback Inn following a day of campaigning in California for Republican candidates.

Resort officials said Bush became the fourth U.S. president to have slept at the Camelback Inn _ joining his father, George H.W. Bush, John F. Kennedy and Dwight Eisenhower.

Associated Press writer Arthur H. Rotstein in Tucson contributed to this report.

Damn..........heart be still!! This is a SHOCK

On a campaign stop in Arizona, the president said he still wants Congress to pass a guest worker plan to relieve pressure on the border by cutting the numbers trying to sneak across.

Originally Posted by 2ndamendsis

Damn..........heart be still!! This is a SHOCK

On a campaign stop in Arizona, the president said he still wants Congress to pass a guest worker plan to relieve pressure on the border by cutting the numbers trying to sneak across.

Its almost too good to be true, and I'm still very skeptical! I'll believe Congress is serious when I see the fence being built by Americans.

Originally Posted by sippy

Originally Posted by 2ndamendsis

Damn..........heart be still!! This is a SHOCK

On a campaign stop in Arizona, the president said he still wants Congress to pass a guest worker plan to relieve pressure on the border by cutting the numbers trying to sneak across.

Its almost too good to be true, and I'm still very skeptical! I'll believe Congress is serious when I see the fence being built by Americans.

Shoot, SIPPY
I was being very, very sarcastic. GUEST WORKER anyone???

As Foxy told the press.........ain't a gonna get built and he has the poop from under the bush.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases ... 004-2.html

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
October 4, 2006

President Bush Signs Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act
The Camelback Inn
Scottsdale, Arizona


In Focus: Homeland Security


9:37 A.M. MST

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all for coming. Pretty soon, I'm going to sign an important piece of legislation that will highlight our government's highest responsibility, and that's to protect the American people. The Department of Homeland Security plays a critical role in fulfilling this responsibility every day. Since it's creation in 2003, the Department has strengthened security of our borders, airports, seaports, and other key infrastructure. It's helped give our partners in local and state law enforcement the tools they need to do their jobs.

The legislation I sign today provides about $33.8 billion in funding to help secure the homeland. This is a good bill. It will help us deploy nuclear detection equipment at our ports of entry, raise security standards at the nation's chemical plants, safeguard American cities against weapons of mass destruction, and stop terrorists seeking to enter our country.

The bill will also help our government better respond to emergencies and natural disasters by strengthening the capabilities of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. This legislation will give us better tools to enforce our immigration laws and to secure our southern border.

This bill is going to make this country safe, for all our citizens, and I appreciate the members of the Congress who have joined me to witness this signing: Senator Jon Kyl, J.D. Hayworth, Trent Franks, and Rick Renzi. These members supported this good bill, and I thank them for their support. I'm also pleased that Governor Janet Napolitano has joined us. Governor, thank you for being here. We're honored to have you up here with us.

The bill I sign helps us address one of the central issues facing all states, but particularly a state like Arizona, and that's illegal immigration. I understand full well that illegal immigration puts pressure on the public schools and hospitals. It strains state and local budgets. In some communities, it increases crime. The administration and Congress have been taking decisive steps to address this issue.

Since I took office, we've increased funding for our border security from $4.6 billion in 2001, to $9.5 billion in 2006. We have increased the number of Border Patrol agents from about 9,000 to 12,000. We significantly decreased the time it takes to return illegal immigrants to their home countries. They apprehended and sent home more than 6 million people entering this country illegally. We stepped up work site enforcement against companies who knowingly hire illegal workers. We're sending a clear signal that we're a nation of law, and laws will be enforced.

We've made progress in addressing illegal immigration, but there is a lot more work to be done. This May, I asked Congress to fund improvements in infrastructure, technology, and manpower at the border, and I appreciate Congress delivering upon my requests.

The bill I sign today includes nearly $1.2 billion in additional funding for strengthening the border, for new infrastructure and technology that will help us do our job. It provides funding for more border fencing, vehicle barriers, and lighting, for cutting-edge technology, including ground base radar, infrared cameras, and advance sensors that will help prevent illegal crossings along our southern border. That's what the people of this country want. They want to know that we're modernizing the border so we can better secure the border.

The bill also supports our efforts to increase the number of Border Patrol agents to about 18,000 by the end of 2008. I recognized, Congress recognized that we needed more Border Patrol agents to do the job. So we were in Artesia, New Mexico earlier, and went to the Border Patrol Training Center; they were thanked first-hand, the men and women who are willing to go out and do hard work and help secure a really long border. And I appreciate the service of the Border Patrol.

It provides funding for about 1,500 additional Border Patrol agents. In other words, this is part of a doubling of the Border Patrol that I called for earlier in my administration. I fully understand it's going to take time to recruit and train these Border Patrol, and that's why, in coordination with the governors, we deployed 6,000 National Guard members to the southern border, and they're doing a fine job.

I remember the outcry when I thought it was a good -- told the American people I thought it was a good idea to send them down there. But, thankfully, we did. And they're helping the Border Patrol. And when the Border Patrol agencies -- number of agents double, then we're not going to need the National Guard. But in the meantime, America owes them a debt of gratitude and thanks.

The bill I sign today also includes a 25 percent increase for funding for immigration and customs enforcement. This funding will help federal agents better enforce our immigration laws inside our country. It will allow us to add at least 6,700 new beds in detention centers. Part of the problem we face is that illegal immigrant that was caught sneaking into the country, and because there was no detention beds, the Border Patrol would say, why don't you check back in with us after awhile. There's no place to hold you, so check back in with the judges. And of course, they didn't check back in. It created a lot of frustration with the Border Patrol.

So we're in the process of ending catch and release. This bill will help us end catch and release. You see, when people know that they'll be caught and sent home if they enter the country illegally, they're going to be less likely to try to enter illegally in the first place.

The funds that Congress has appropriated are critical for our efforts to secure this border and enforce our laws. Yet, we must also recognize that enforcement alone is not going to work. You need comprehensive reform that provides a legal way for people to work here on a temporary basis. It's going to relieve pressure on the border. It will enable our Border Patrol agents to do a better job when we reduce the number of people trying to sneak into the country. It will free up our law enforcement officers to focus on criminals and drug dealers and terrorists and others who mean us harm.

We'll continue to work with Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform that secures this border, upholds the laws, and honors our nation's proud heritage as a land of immigrants.

I want to thank the members of Congress who have joined me for this important bill signing. And now it's my honor to sign the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act for 2007.

(The bill is signed.) (Applause.)

END 9:44 A.M. MST

Originally Posted by 2ndamendsis

Originally Posted by sippy

Originally Posted by 2ndamendsis

Damn..........heart be still!! This is a SHOCK

On a campaign stop in Arizona, the president said he still wants Congress to pass a guest worker plan to relieve pressure on the border by cutting the numbers trying to sneak across.

Its almost too good to be true, and I'm still very skeptical! I'll believe Congress is serious when I see the fence being built by Americans.

Shoot, SIPPY
I was being very, very sarcastic. GUEST WORKER anyone???

As Foxy told the press.........ain't a gonna get built and he has the poop from under the bush.

2ndam, LOL...
My brain isn't working too well today (obviously!)

How come they always moan about getting in the crops?

I've got a simple solution if they want a 'guest worker' program to somehow save 'family farms'. There's more than enough illegal aliens working in construction to harvest the crops.

"Here you go, amigo, a 6 month agriculture-only guest worker card. This gives you 6 months to decide if you want to pick crops or go back to where you belong. If you work real hard we'll let you come back next year."

If farmers need 2 million guest workers, they have 30 million to choose from. The other 28 million can always apply again next year.

"Adios!"

Originally Posted by PinestrawGuys

How come they always moan about getting in the crops?

I've got a simple solution if they want a 'guest worker' program to somehow save 'family farms'. There's more than enough illegal aliens working in construction to harvest the crops.

"Here you go, amigo, a 6 month agriculture-only guest worker card. This gives you 6 months to decide if you want to pick crops or go back to where you belong. If you work real hard we'll let you come back next year."

If farmers need 2 million guest workers, they have 30 million to choose from. The other 28 million can always apply again next year.

"Adios!"

PINE
last night when I was speaking with my foreman, he said that TOMATOES were ROTTING in NJ & surrounding areas because they didn't have enough pickers!
HUH
Anyhoooo, I told him that these big growers would let their fields ROT in order to get a GUEST WORKER/AMNESTY policy. Furthermore, hire Americans by paying a decent wage. Apparently {I didn't hear it} this news was running yesterday.

It provides funding for more border fencing, vehicle barriers, and lighting, for cutting-edge technology, including ground base radar, infrared cameras, and advance sensors

So exactly how much of this actually goes towards building a real fence and how much is payback to corporate contributors?

You all thought that this was a bill about building a real fence.


SUCKERS!!!