Thread: Border Patrol getting first part of 'virtual fence'

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Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Border Patrol getting first part of 'virtual fence'

PHOENIX (AP) | Government officials overseeing the construction of a "virtual fence" along the 2,000-mile U.S.-Mexico border hope to turn over the first segment to the Border Patrol in January, while beginning construction on a second stretch in coming weeks.

Although the government has plans to extend the network of cameras, ground sensors and radar along most of the border, officials said they will draw on lessons from the first two segments in southern Arizona as they contemplate whether and where to build more sections and how fast to complete them.

The government estimated it would cost $6.7 billion to cover most of the Mexican border by 2014.

"We do want some time to look at whether or not that really does make the most sense," said Mark Borkowski, the government's director of the virtual fence project. "Is it really sensible to spend all that money? Or are there other more measured approaches? Maybe there are some places along the border that make sense, but maybe not the entire border."

As it now stands, once both southern Arizona sections are in operation along 53 miles of the border, the next step would be to authorize construction through the majority of the 375-mile border in Arizona, the nation's busiest gateway for immigrant smuggling and a major thoroughfare for marijuana smuggling.

By using cameras, ground sensors and radar mounted on a series of towers, the system allows a small number of dispatchers to track illegal border-crossers on a computer monitor. They will be able to zoom in with cameras to see whether it's a person or animal moving, and decide whether the movement requires sending Border Patrol agents to the scene.

The virtual fence, developed as part of then-President George W. Bush's border security plan, is designed to add another layer of protection at the border, along with thousands of Border Patrol agents and 650 miles of real fences.

The government and the contractor building the virtual fence said they were making solid progress after a series of setbacks earlier in the project.

While a prototype virtual fence in southern Arizona has been in use for nearly two years, the first permanent 23-mile stretch along the Mexican border near Sasabe, Ariz., would be handed over to the Border Patrol in January for testing, if everything goes as planned. The government hopes to begin construction on a second 30-mile section south of Ajo, Ariz., once environmental clearances are finalized.

The project was criticized because of delays and the government's finding in 2008 that the 28-mile prototype fence didn't work properly. That prompted the government to withhold some payments to its contractor, Boeing Co. The prototype will be replaced by the first permanent segment.


http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/200 ... ual-fence/

I hope this virtual fence stops all the:

virtual drugs
virtual illegal aliens
virtual coyotes
virtual gun runners
virtual terrorists
virtual criminals

coming over the border.

I'd be much happier with a 4' thick 30' wall with a moat.