Thread: Fence-building along the border a futile gesture

Published: 09.24.2006

Fence-building along the border a futile gesture
Our view: There's no one-step measure that will solve illegal immigration into U.S.

(This story is referring to a series looking at border security, whether it can be done and what it will take. For more go to http://www.azstarnet.com/secureborder)
The U.S. Senate this week is scheduled to vote on a bill calling for 700 miles of new fencing along the U.S.-Mexican border. If approved and signed by the president, the bill would be the biggest step yet in meeting conservatives' demands to "seal the border."
However, the only thing the new fencing would seal is our belief that Congress is taking a myopic approach on the immigration problem. Putting 700 miles of fencing along a 2,000-mile border and believing that that effort alone will halt illegal immigration is wishful and shortsighted thinking.
The new fencing might enhance security in certain areas, but foreigners who are ambitious enough, smart enough or desperate enough for work will continue to find their way into the United States.
The Star today is launching a series examining why sealing the border is a nearly impossible task. A team of journalists traveled the entire length of the frontier with Mexico and found that closing off the border would not only be prohibitively costly, it would be impractical due to the geography of certain areas. The series also points out that attempts to seal the border could do more harm when it comes to environmental, cultural and economic issues.
"Sealing the border is completely unrealistic. Those who believe it can be done are living in a dream world," said U.S. Rep. Jim Kolbe, who has been at odds with his Republican Party's enforcement-first approach to immigration reform.
The border-fence bill, which has already passed the U.S. House, is an election-year attempt by some politicians to show constituents they are getting tough on immigration. It's more accurate to say, however, that those politicians are acting tough and accomplishing very little.
Multifaceted solution vital
Illegal immigration in America is a multifaceted problem that requires a multifaceted solution. Tackling one issue — border security — does no good if the United States doesn't enforce laws against hiring illegal workers or give U.S. industries a legal way to hire foreign labor.
There's also a big difference between sealing the border and beefing up security, which is possible and should be part of any comprehensive immigration reform.
Most of the 12 million or so illegal immigrants in the United States are contributing to society. They are working, raising families and becoming part of the American fabric. It's important that immigration reforms include a path to citizenship for members of our community whose only offense has been entering the country illegally.
It seems, however, that some politicians have reduced immigration to an enforcement issue. They seem to believe building a fence will solve most, if not all, of the problem.
It won't.
Investigative reports like the Star's demonstrate the facts are available if one is willing to look, and listening must be valued more than political posturing.
"Republicans see border enforcement as the easy fix," Kolbe said. "Constituents see footage of people crossing and say, 'Just stop them at the border. Just stop them.'
"Well, that's like saying, 'Just stop people from selling drugs.' It's easy to say but hard to do. Border enforcement is not going to work if you don't have the other pieces in place and address the economic problems that send people to our country."
We agree.
Mexico, where most of the illegal immigrants come from, is not blameless. The United States should take steps to encourage Mexican leaders to enact economic reforms that will create jobs that will keep their citizens from leaving. We believe most Mexicans would prefer to stay in their homeland if they can make a decent living.
Illegal immigration elsewhere
People in other parts of the world have proved that even oceans won't keep the desperate and poor from seeking better lives. Cubans have regularly crossed the Straits of Florida in an attempt to escape poverty. Northern Africans routinely brave the Gibraltar Straits to reach Spain. The Associated Press reported last year that Turks cross the Aegean Sea to reach Greece and Albanians cross the Adriatic to reach Italy.
If seas cannot halt illegal immigration, it's unrealistic to think that fences or extreme political rhetoric can.
History has shown that when security is bolstered in one area of the border — San Diego, El Paso, Douglas, Nogales — the illegal immigrants will cross where there is less resistance, such as the desert. Demands to seal the border also ignore the fact that many illegal immigrants come to the United States legally.
The Pew Hispanic Center, a Washington-based research group, reported in May that 40 percent to 50 percent of illegal immigrants entered the country with non-immigrant visas and border-crossing cards. So unless the United States is willing to ban foreign visitation entirely, it will have to accept that some people will come and not leave. A sealed border does no good in these cases.
Sealing the border is simply not practical, and it would be a very expensive exercise in futility. Instead of wasting money on border fences and walls, the nation's leaders need to roll up their sleeves and start the hard work of crafting a comprehensive economic solution to immigration issues. It's a complex problem that will not be solved easily.
As the Star's series demonstrates, building fences and walls is not a solution. It only creates new barriers.
● A four-part, comprehensive investigative series begins today, Page A1.
● go.azstarnet.com/secureborder

This story is referring to a series looking at border security, whether it can be done and what it will take. For more go to http://www.azstarnet.com/secureborder

Liberal Bias. A border fence WILL work to keep deported criminals OUT. Then interior enforcement will be a HUGE issue in 2 more years and they will start to side with BIG BUSINESS and NEO-CON Jewish Rhinos to keep the lowley flowing in for endless cheap labor at the expence of Americans, and Americans will be forceed to deal with it as will politicians.....


We need another media outlet, the NEO-CON Jewish owned Media will NEVER allow us ONE INCH - Give us an inch we will take a mile....They will not surrender even after the fence is up and AMericans take back the country....they will still be pushing tear down the wall and let the flood of third worldsers in......forever..........

They need to be boycottd just like MILLER BEER.......


Google and search : NEO-CONS IN THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION

Look at the DARK side of Politics just as ULTRA LIBERAL MOVE ON.ORG HAS!

[quote="mapwife"]Published: 09.24.2006

Fence-building along the border a futile gesture
Our view: There's no one-step measure that will solve illegal immigration into U.S.


Sealing the border is simply not practical, and it would be a very expensive exercise in futility. Instead of wasting money on border fences and walls, the nation's leaders need to roll up their sleeves and start the hard work of crafting a comprehensive economic solution to immigration issues. It's a complex problem that will not be solved easily.


What is wrong with my offer - if we are building this fence , spending so much money because of the illegals - one more problem to fix

- why cannot we collect them and make them to help us by building the fence ?
- when ICE or Border Partol catch them - they can force them to work -3-6 months for the country - I am sure Minutemen would help to organize the illegals into work-teams

Most of the 12 million or so illegal immigrants in the United States are contributing to society. They are working, raising families and becoming part of the American fabric. It's important that immigration reforms include a path to citizenship for members of our community whose only offense has been entering the country illegally.

All the pro-illegal advocates keep saying that any plan to stop illegals from crossing the border must include a path to legalization. I keep hearing it, but no one has really explained how that is going to stop more from coming. The more connections (friends, family, etc.) they have in the United States, the more illegal immigration we're going to have. Why do they keep inisting that legalizing illegal immigrants is going to assist in stopping more illegal immigration? Our elected representatives aren't really as stupid as they seem on this issue, they know legalizing 12 million illegals isn't going to help stop 12 more from coming - it will only encourage them to come quicker. I honestly believe those that keep insisting on legalizing the 12-20 million already in the country want more to come. Those folks are owned by corporate America and really have no interest in stopping illegal immigration. The more "cheap labor" the better is how they see it.

The only way to stop illegal immigration is to secure our borders, enhance interior enforcement, cut off all benefits (except emergency medical care), and end the anchor baby program. We must insist that business owners, staffing executives, managers, etc. (whoever is responsible for the hiring) pay huge fines, lose assets, and do time in prison.