Thread: House Votes for 698 Miles of Fences on Mexico Border

http://www.nytimes.com

December 16, 2005
House Votes for 698 Miles of Fences on Mexico Border
By RACHEL L. SWARNS
WASHINGTON, Dec. 15 - House Republicans voted on Thursday night to toughen a border security bill by requiring the Department of Homeland Security to build five fences along 698 miles of the United States border with Mexico to block the flow of illegal immigrants and drugs into this country.

The amendment to the bill would require the construction of the fences along stretches of land in California, New Mexico, Texas and Arizona that have been deemed among the most porous corridors of the border.

The vote on the amendment was a victory for conservatives who had long sought to build such a fences along the Mexican border. But the vote was sharply assailed by Democrats, who compared the fences to the Berlin Wall in Germany. Twelve Republicans also voted against the amendment.

Representative David Dreier, Republican of California, hailed the fences as a necessary tool to ensure border security. Construction of the barriers is to include two layers of reinforced fencing, cameras, lighting and sensors near Tecate and Calexico on the California border; Columbus, N.M.; and El Paso, Del Rio, Eagle Pass, Laredo and Brownsville in Texas.

The border security bill, which cracks down on illegal immigration and now mandates the construction of the fences, is expected to pass the House on Friday.

"Border fences are a security tool with proven results," Mr. Dreier said. "This amendment allows us to target our federal resources where they are needed most: five specific border crossings with the highest number of immigrant deaths, instances of drug smuggling and illegal crossings.

The vote on the amendment came on a day when the tough border security bill survived an unexpected tactical challenge from several Republicans. The bill was criticized by some moderates because it does not grant millions of undocumented workers the right to work temporarily in the United States and by some conservatives who argued that the measure was not tough enough.

The unusual revolt highlighted the schism within the Republican Party over the volatile issue of immigration. Business leaders, traditional allies of the party, have lobbied fiercely against the bill, which contains strict employment verification requirements that many executives view as a burden.

Republican leaders stamped out the rebellion after an emergency meeting. But one Republican, Jim Kolbe of Arizona, said he and his allies would continue to try to stop the bill, which has been endorsed by the Republican leadership and some conservatives but attacked by business executives, church leaders and advocates for immigrants.

The bill would require mandatory detention of many immigrants, stiffen the penalties for employers who hire them and broaden the immigrant-smuggling statute to include employees of social service agencies and church groups who offer services to undocumented workers.

It would not create the temporary guest worker program that President Bush has urged to legalize the status of the 11 million illegal immigrants believed to be living in this country.

Seeking to sink the legislation, several Republicans took the tactical step on Thursday of voting against a rule that had to pass to allow the measure to go up for a vote. Some conservatives, who felt the bill was not tough enough, also voted against the rule.

"Unfortunately, the bill before us today does nothing to solve the real problems of immigration," Mr. Kolbe told lawmakers. "But we are going to go down this path, continue this charade, continue lying to the American people, continue pretending we are doing something to prevent illegal immigration."

In addition to Mr. Kolbe, six other Republicans voted against the rule: Representatives Fred Upton of Michigan, Christopher Shays of Connecticut, Jim Leach of Iowa, Heather A. Wilson of New Mexico, J.D. Hayworth of Arizona, and John Hostettler of Indiana.

Mr. Kolbe spoke as faxed letters from the United States Chamber of Commerce warned lawmakers that in its annual ratings of members of Congress, it would penalize any legislator who voted for the rule that would allow the measure to go to the floor for a vote.

By midafternoon, the party's leaders had beaten back the challenge, at least for the day. Representative F. James Sensenbrenner Jr., Republican of Wisconsin, sharply criticized those expressing support for what many conservatives describe as an amnesty for illegal immigrants.

"This bill doesn't give amnesty to illegal aliens and it shouldn't because that would reward someone for breaking our laws," said Mr. Sensenbrenner, who had introduced the border security bill.

Mr. Kolbe spoke as faxed letters from the United States Chamber of Commerce warned lawmakers that in its annual ratings of members of Congress, it would penalize any legislator who voted for the rule that would allow the measure to go to the floor for a vote.

Shut Down the United States Chamber of Commerce.

Boycott any store or establishment that hangs their plaque.

If you are an American Business, cancel your membership.

It is inappropriate and contrary to the American Interest which includes your interest as America Businesses to support immigration in numbers the United States can not sustain. The US Chamber of Commerce with your support advocates illegal immigration, open borders, Free Trade Agreements that ARE NOT Free, membership in the World Trade Organization which takes our sovereignty away which are all policies that are putting you out of business through unnecessary global competition including unfair competition in the American Labor Market.

General Motors and Delta Airlines and Ford Motor Company and many other major corporations are in financial stress in the United States for one reason:

Dilution of the economic resources of the American Consumer who can no longer afford to buy their products. Americans because of jobs loss, loss of wages, increased costs of living in all areas of necessities and essentials due mainly to the impact of illegal immigration which is an illegal manipulation of the American Labor Market and loss of manufacturing operations, no longer have the expendable income needed to purchase airline tickets or new cars.

People are holding on with credit which is not wealth or assets but debt that in most cases can not and will never be repaid. Very soon, those debts will be called in and the change in the bankruptcy law will cost them the roofs over their heads now. This law was passed this year for one reason--your Congress knows What's Afoot and agreed to take care of the creditors and lenders at your expense.

2005 is the year Americans lost their rights:

1) The US Supreme Court ruled the government can take your property and give it to someone else they like better.

2) The Congress ruled that unsecured creditors can now become secured creditors through the change in the bankruptcy law and take your home as secured collateral.

3) The Congress voted to remain in the World Trade Organzation and by so doing transferred power to this organization over many aspects of our daily lives including immigration and any domestic law or public policy law that poses an unfair barrier to "trade".

4) The Congress voted to ratify 37 Free Trade Agreements which transfer power over the business conducted under them to the World Trade Organization.

5) The Congress voted to extend the Patriot Act for 4 more years.

6) The Congress voted to approve the Real ID Act.

7) The Congress voted to restrict shareholders lawsuits against corporations who cheat them or steal their money.

8) The Congress voted to restrict through torte reform you're right to take a grievance to a court of law for a non-violent just resolution.

And there's more but these are the major ones which collectively have affected in an adverse manner your home; your job; your freedom; your mobility; your legal rights; and your assets.

The Congress approved the appointment to the United States Supreme Court of an individual who thought it was constitutional to arrest a 12 year girl for eating a french fry in a Metro Station when an adult would have been handed a ticket.

The Congress thus far has failed to see any problem with the Executive Branch failing to enforce US Immigration, US Labor and US Civil Rights Laws.

Will they require enforcement? We'll see. If they pass a border enforcement law, who will enforce it? Congress doesn't enforce our laws, the President and Executive Branch do.

We are in strange and eery times. Wake up America. It's time to take a stand and impeach George Bush for failing to enforce our laws. This breach of trust, oath, honor and duty has cost Americans their livelihoods, their lives, their neighborhoods, their security, their peace of mind, and soon their nation.

Organizations like the US Chamber of Commerce are no longer friends, but enemies within. Turn your backs on them and for God's Sake don't give them your money.

The bill would require mandatory detention of many immigrants, stiffen the penalties for employers who hire them and broaden the immigrant-smuggling statute to include employees of social service agencies and church groups who offer services to undocumented workers

This is good...does this include LaRaza which is aiding and abetting illegal entry on a daily basis...with 15 million of taxpayer dollars to help them defy our laws?

The debate in the house is interesting...there are so many 'buts'...but will it be funded? But will it be enforced? Etc and so on..

If the senate decides to put guestworker program back in this bill I'll make yet another call to my senators...my last words will be 'You're FIRED"...ahem

RR