Thread: Tunnel Bill for Dummies (read close)

House votes to ban border tunnels
Bill provides for 20-year sentence
Sara Carter, Staff Writer


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The House of Representatives has unanimously approved an immigration enforcement bill that would make it a crime to build unauthorized tunnels across the U.S. border.

The proposal was one of three immigration measures that passed the House on Thursday. The bills would increase border security, give local and state law enforcement officials the authority to enforce federal immigration law and extend the detention of all illegal immigrant criminals who cannot be deported back to their country of origin.

Rep. David Dreier, R-Glendora, chairman of the House Rules Committee, who sponsored the Border Tunnel Prevention Act, along with Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., emphasized Thursday that border enforcement must come first before any compromise is reached with the Senate on immigration reform.

"Many believed that the Senate wouldn't do anything. We can see that there is room for compromise and we are finding common ground in securing our borders," said Dreier, referring to the Senate's expected vote next week on passage of a bill authorizing the construction of about 700 miles of fence along parts of the 2,000-mile U.S. border with Mexico.

"We've recognized that border security is national security," Dreier said. "While there's no evidence whatsoever of a Mexican terrorist, the threat of someone utilizing one of those tunnels to pose a terrorist threat to the United States is still there."

Since September 2001, more than 40 tunnels have been found along the southern borders of the United States. Only one has been found along the Canadian border, according to Feinstein's office.

Currently, there is no federal law establishing the illegality of building tunnels from one nation to another. The measure, which also was sponsored by Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-El Cajon, includes a 20-year prison sentence for those who construct or finance tunnels across a U.S. border. It would add 10 years to the sentence of any person who permits the construction of such a tunnel on his or her property.

As with previous zero-tolerance laws, the sentence would require those convicted to forfeit all their assets and property to the federal government, Feinstein said. The legislation would have guidelines

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for the U.S. Sentencing Commission, which would then create criminal penalties for persons convicted under the bill, she added.

"The danger is clear, and you can be sure that there are more tunnels out there," Feinstein said. "So Congress must respond and impose tough sanctions on those who would build and operate these tunnels. Those who would turn a blind eye should be punished as well." The tunnel bill is expected to pass the Senate before the end of the year, Dreier said.

Not all the bills passed unanimously Thursday and not all Republicans and Democrats are in agreement about the piecemeal efforts of House leaders to pass separate enforcement measures before the Nov. 7 elections. President Bush has pushed for comprehensive legislation that would include a guest-worker program and the eventual legalization of millions of illegal immigrants already living in the United States. That plan, however, would combine the worker program with proposals that would stiffen penalties against employers who hire illegal immigrants and for greater border enforcement.

Dreier added that the overwhelming passage of immigration enforcement bills in the House and Senate this week is an example of establishing a common nonpartisan ground for compromise.

On Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., said the overwhelming wishes of the public to have immigration enforcement first before any compromise on the Senate's immigration reform package could take place. "The overwhelming majority of people who violate our borders do so in search of jobs -- but not all of them," Frist said. "Some cross to deal drugs and commit crimes. Intelligence reports show that even al-Qaida considers our borders a key vulnerability."

http://www.sbsun.com/ci_4377955

The House of Representatives has unanimously approved an immigration enforcement bill that would make it a crime to build unauthorized tunnels across the U.S. border.

Anyone who "authorizes or finances" the making of a tunnel. It say`s nothing about those who cross it.

Are they going to send "Bounty Hunters" into Mexico to find out who approved or paid for the tunnel.

Give me a break!!!!!!

We really must be dummies in their books!