Border follies: U.S. sorry for building barrier that encroaches on Mexico
Can we do anything right on border security? Crikey (via chron.com/AP):
Vehicle barrier built on wrong side of border to be removed
Part of a vehicle barrier along the U.S.-Mexico border was erected in the wrong country and soon will be removed and rebuilt on American soil, federal officials confirmed Monday.
“We respect our international boundary, and we want to be good neighbors,” U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesman Michael Friel told The Associated Press. “…We want to move quickly to ensure that we place the vehicle barrier where it should be, which is north of the border.”
The barrier, 17 miles west of Columbus, was built in 2000 by Joint Task Force North out of Fort Bliss, Texas. It encroaches into Mexico territory between one and six feet south of the border along a 1.5-mile stretch.
The U.S. government did not intentionally erect the 5-foot-tall barrier in Mexico, Friel said. But an aerial survey conducted in March revealed that parts of the structure crossed over the border.
“The construction was based on what was understood to be the international boundary at the time,” he said.
The International Boundary and Water Commission, which determines the official boundary between the U.S. and Mexico, said the barrier had raised concern with Mexican officials.
“Mexico had indicated that it is not appropriate for this type of United States structure to be located in Mexican territory, and we agree,” said Sally Spener, a spokeswoman for the commission.
On Monday, Mexico’s Foreign Relations Department said it has sent a diplomatic note to the United States protesting the barrier.
The Mexican government’s condoning of massive law-breaking on American soil isn’t “appropriate,” either. But you won’t hear any demands, or see any “diplomatic notes” sent, from our officials about that.
A senator on the shamnesty fence weighs in:
U.S. Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., questioned how the error occurred and demanded that the U.S. government replace the barrier before the existing one is torn down.
“Having to tear down the newly constructed barrier is not only a waste of taxpayer money but also hampers our ability to adequately secure our borders,” he wrote in a letter to Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Ralph Basham on Friday.
Perhaps Bingaman should make the reconstruction and replacement of that barrier his trigger before agreeing to any Bush-Kennedy guest worker plan: Border security now. Not later.
See what others have said
Note from Michelle: This section is for comments from michellemalkin.com's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that I agree with or endorse any particular comment just because I let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with my terms of use may lose his or her posting privilege.
Trackbacks
Comments
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Categories: Amnesty, Southern Border
Right Wing Nut House
» WILL NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE KILL CONSERVATISM?
NewsBusters.org
» Derrick Z: OK To Be Patriotic. Now.Marginal Revolution
» What are the lessons from the New Deal?Power Line
» Close Guantanamo Bay?protein wisdom
» Anxiety of Influence?Power Line
» Turkeys on paradeHot Air
» Zimbabwe to “Elders”: Get lostHot Air
» Another AQ plotter bites the dustTigerHawk
» Markets, Obama, goose, ganderPower Line
» An appeal not to appeal
Measure twice, cut once.
Feral: LOL. Yes, indeed. Wise words.
This is all good, though, because you need to know the problem before you can deal with it. The problem is this whole thing is being run by idiots. There. It’s nice to have a solid understanding of the issues.
My spider senses are telling me that Michelle is about to have a complete brain implosion, and anyone else who looks at their tax filings and wonders why the hell we’re paying for this kind of lunacy.
No, my brain is fine. It’s the collective brain of the Senate that is about to implode.
No taxation without unimploding brains!
If I could just prevail upon Michelle and put this thought here.
The Alcan Highway in 1943 from Dawson Creek, BC to Fairbanks, AK. Google it.
1,500 miles of road in 8 months.
It was built through dense forests, around mountains and over frozen tundra in extreme weather.
It’s a terrific example of American resolve to get a job done.
Why can’t we conjure the will to secure our borders?
“Sumrica, I’d prefer not to do that,” Bush replied, deadpan. “Wouldn’t be prudent at this juncture.”
Michelle is perhaps too generous. Before the Senate’s brain (collective or otherwise) can implode, it has to have one.
No brain - no implosion.
Is there any way we can deport Bush and the Senate to Mexico?
No offense meant, Michelle, everyone here knows you are a quite brilliant patriot (truly). Maybe it was projection on my part because my brain is ready to implode!
Imagine:
Illegals given not just amnesty, but a place in front of others who have waited much longer (the provisions and amendments re that are smoke and mirrors because there is no provision to enforce the enforers to enforce said provisions - convoluted catch-22 but true, if you can untangle it - and history shows they won’t enforce the laws; the posts will be filled with bleeding heart liberals who hate the American white power structure and will turn a blind eye as they always do.
Z-Vias and the like still at the forefront of senatorial discussion instead of enforcement which is given only a wisp of acknowledgement.
And all this happening with support of Republicans while we are at war with organized and well-funded murderous radicals who will use these provisons in the bill to get around other measures and try to flood our streets with the innocent blood of our women and children.
Oh yes, my head is ready to implode. Anyone want to start a countdown?
But still, it can be stopped…
(Thanks to another poster for the fax numbers, by the way. Oh those damn, wonderful pieces of paper!)
Now, a normal, rational person would say, “who cares?” when informed that a neighboring country may be 1 foot in or 3 feet or so. Not a politician! Got to make a “stink” over it. Reminds me of 2 four year old kids in bed together. “Your toe is on my side of the bed!!”
This incident points up a scandal begging to be investigated; the incompetence of the companies who are contracted to build facilities along the border.
The current Chairman of the House Intel Committee Silvestre Reyes, was involved in a scandalous waste of taxpayer dollars a few years ago when he kept an incompetent contractor - International Microwave Corporation - on the government payroll despite screwing up border security cameras and sensors. Not coincidentally, Reyes’ daughter ended up working for IMC in a very lucrative position just around the time that the Texas Democrat was pushing Congress to re-authorize the company’s contracts.
Cameras that don’t work. Fences that don’t get built. Vehicle barriers put in the wrong place.
Your tax dollars at work.
Can’t we all live together in peace as one nation under Dios?
Why borders? Why separation? Why passports? Why two languages? Why two cultures? Why different ways of life?
Isn’t America a “melting pot”? At least the Senate and the president realize the true meaning of that expression and are working diligently to implement it, finally.
Let’s learn from the Europeans, let’s be one with Mexico and Canada. Let’s open our borders to the world.
And let’s sing together:
¡América! ¡América!
Vertiente del dios su tolerancia en usted
Y bueno thy de la corona con la fraternidad
Del mar al mar brillante
You probably heard it before, but isn’t true that liberalism is a mental disorder?
I guess they never heard of a GPS?
YO! MEXICO! Since when did you recognize that there was a border down there? HUH?
This is really a single example of the patronage system Congress is enveloped in. Earmarks are the problem, where politicians decide how and to whom our tax dollars goes too. Senators and Reps should not be allowed to determine who specifically gets the dollars they are spraying around. Conniving idiots who hire more conniving idiots.
When is Mexico going to apologize for sending millions of their ignorant and poor to the US that they can’t support because of their grossly corrupt government? Mexico actually makes 3rd world countries seem inviting.
The Headline you will never see: ‘Mexico Sorry for Illegals encroaching on United States Economy’
Apologize?? They CAN support them. They just don’t want to, especially when greedy businesses are willing to exploit them here for cheap labor and much of what they earn gets sent back to Mexico, AND federal, some state and local agencies are just thrilled to lavish cash and benefits on them using OUR tax dollars.
By the way, as far as deporting Bush and the Senate to Mexico, if this bill passes, Washinton D.C. will soon be known as Mexico City del Norte and you will hear a sucking sound at the border as half the current Mexican population will be scrambling to get here!
I say we keep it.
It’s a shame that they will have to tear this wall down and move it; it was the only structure built in Mexico that was up to 1st-World code for 200 square miles.
We give that country millions of dollars every year. I would say we bought that land several times over by now. Hand over the deed Mexico.
Just the oil and mineral rights - we can sell the rest of the country back to Spain
Throw that note in the trash. Mexico’s Foreign Relations Department should be apologizing to us for failing to control the massive number of illegal incursions onto US soil directly from Mexico.
OK let me get this straight. The US spends $200M to develop and deploy GPS; recievers can be had for as low as $99 but the contractor couldn’t figure out whether the hole he was digging was in Mexico or the US?
The contractor should be sued to recover the cost of removal and replacement, but I am sure since the company is in the pockets of a bunch of senators and congressmen, it won’t happen.
I think the proper approach would be for the U.S. government to say to Mexico, “Sorry about that. We’ll get that fence moved. Won’t happen again.” And then, do nothing about the fence. Just leave it.
Heck, the government has lots of practice at “do nothing”. At least this time there would be some justice to it.
The Mexican government says “jump” and our government asks “how high”. Why? What is going on?
Let’s see - the barrier was built in 2000. So it has been in Mexico for 7 years, quietly doing it’s job, not hurting anyone.
I say, let’s pay a $5000.00 fine, and let it stay there.
If need be - we can take a crane and move it 5 feet so it can “touch-back” to it’s native country before replacing it.
12 million illegals in our country and Mexico’s upset about a vehicle barrier in the middle of nowhere 5 feet into theirs?
I hope the work crew refuses to touch it, it becomes a job “Americans won’t do” and then some of the illegals crossing the border can be hired to move it.
In a sane world, the response would have been “Tough” and the flipping of the bird…
And feral… “Measure twice, cut once” might be how YOU do it, but it’s been my observation that it goes a little different for the Feds.
“Measure once, cut twice”
Have we sent Mexico a diplomatic note to Mexico regarding all the incursions into the United States by Federales and the like?? They are constantly coming into our country running drugs and illegals.
It is amazing to me that nobody has been fed up enough by all this to go postal somewhere. I would have expected to hear about a crazed individual by now.
Hmmm…open, notorious, exclusive… adverse possession?