Miller votes in favor of fence across U.S.-Mexico border

RALEIGH (AP) – Rep. Brad Miller, D-N.C., who has been the target of criticism from a GOP opponent on immigra*tion issues, voted Thursday in favor of a comprehensive im*migration bill that includes a plan to construct 700 miles of fencing along the Mexican b o rd er.
Miller has been the target of a series of blunt ads from his opponent, Republican Ver*non Robinson, who recently purchased $30,000 worth of TV ads that criticize Miller’s stance on illegal immigra*tion.
One radio spot says that “if Miller had his way, America would be nothing but one big fiesta for illegal aliens and ho*m osexuals.” Miller previously voted in favor of an amendment that would have constructed a fence. But the 13th District congressman voted against the final version of the immi*gration bill in December.
“The one in December en*compassed so many things that didn’t go far enough,” said Miller spokeswoman Lu* Ann Canipe, adding that the measure should have provid*ed additional funding for re*source- strapped border per*sonnel. “It was a severely flawed bill.” The new 700 miles of dou*ble- layered fencing won ap*proval on a 283-138 vote, with many Democrats decrying the bill as a political ploy two months out of the election. Miller joined with all North Carolina Republicans and two other state Democrats voting in favor of the measure.
Robinson said it was an ex*ample of Miller pandering to voters.
“Brad’s all over the place,” Robinson said. “I used to think the guy stood for some*thing. But now he’s taken both sides of the illegal immi*gration debate, and I don’t think the citizens are going to buy it.” Supporters of the immigra*tion reform said the new fenc*ing would let Border Patrol agents focus more on appre*hending illegal immigrants crossing from Mexico rather than having to man the entire b o rd er.


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