FINO: Fence funding falls short (again)
The state of our broken borders on the seventh anniversary week of the 9/11 terrorist attacks is unsound.
Border security was not mentioned once in John McCain’s RNC speech. If, as McCain has grudgingly conceded, immigration is a national security issue, why did it get zero attention in his convention talk?
The only insipid comment Obama made about border enforcement in his DNC speech was this: “Passions fly on immigration, but I don’t know anyone who benefits when a mother is separated from her infant child or an employer undercuts American wages by hiring illegal workers.” Must have taken all the restraint in the world not to repeat his smear of federal ICE agents who follow the law and do their jobs.
Both the shamnesty candidate and the shamnesty-lite candidate would prefer not to talk about this:
The Bush administration needs an extra $400 million to complete its fence along the country’s southwestern border, and government investigators say that may not even be enough to finish construction by the end of this year.
To complete the 670-mile fence — already half built — the administration has asked Congress to approve the use of $400 million set aside for other programs, mostly surveillance technology projects along the U.S.-Mexico border, Jayson Ahern, the deputy commissioner of Customs and Border Protection, told The Associated Press Tuesday.
Higher costs of fuel, steel and labor have led to the $400 million shortfall, Ahern said.
“If we run out of money, unfortunately the construction will have to stop,” Ahern said. He said it is not known exactly how much extra it will cost to build each mile of the fence, because the costs differ due to varying terrain and environmental issues.
There will be hearings tomorrow to discuss what I warned from the outset was the inevitable outcome of this legislation:
Ahern is scheduled to testify on Capitol Hill Wednesday about the fence’s funding shortfalls. At the same hearing, Congress’ investigative arm, the Government Accountability Office, will also tell lawmakers that the administration risks not meeting its deadline to complete the fence by the end of the year because of staffing shortages and complications with acquiring the land necessary to build the fence.
A reminder of what I wrote two years ago about the Fence In Name Only — on September 14, 2006:
There’s no funding for the fence, which will take years to build if it ever does get funded. There are so many other immediate reforms that could have been adopted this year that would have strengthened immigration enforcement, closed deportation loopholes immediately, and provided true relief at the border. (And don’t even get me started on this administration’s renewed laxity at the front door, which has been thrown open to tens of thousands of new Saudi student visa holders while enforcement against millions of current visa overstayers remain virtually non-existent.)
The 700-mile fence vote is an election season gesture, and grass-roots conservatives who have watched the GOP squander away this issue afor six years are not going to be appeased by mid-September 2006 gesture politics.
And see my entire archives on “Secure Fence Act” posts for similar repeated warnings.
Even if no one in Washington is paying attention anymore, you can bet the jihadists are.
***
Invasion is six years old, yet so many of its common-sense recommendations about immigration enforcement remain unadopted, abandoned, or languishing on bureaucrat desks.
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The primary responsibility of the U.S. government is to protect the territorial integrity and people of this country. They have completely abdicated this responsibility. Both parties have been complicit in this. We are being told it is not possible to control our borders, enforce our laws, and thereby control our destiny as a nation. Hogwash. We are being sold out by corporations intent on importing workers for jobs that can’t be exported with the taxpayers paying the true costs, financial and human. If we act like sheep and don’t stop the inundation across our borders, we will lose our country without a bleat.
MM, I applaud you for continuing to sound the alarm on this very difficult topic. I first heard you at a briefing on the Hill with Tancredo just post 9/11 when I was working to get proof of legal presence a requirement for a DL in VA.
My hat is off to you for refusing to give up and continuing the fight.
I guess it’s time for another round of letters/calls. There is an election in Nov after all.
hmmmm….
Build it here, Build it now, Keep them out…
[nods to Mr. Newt]
I don’t know what it will take to wake up people in this country. For sure writing and calling our ’supposed” representatives is accomplishing hardly anything. This shell game has to end. How long before Americans stand up and force their government to do the job they are collecting our tax money for? I am sick,sick,sick of it!!! I am ready to grab those pitchforks and torches from Glen Beck and start marching. Unfortunately too few Americans are willing to make this effort to force a showdown with our absentee government.
McCain famously said he would rather lose an election than the Iraqi war.
Would Sen.McCain rather lose an election than lose the border war to Mexican drug lords and terrorists?
C’mon, Mac, be a maverick take a stand for national security at our borders.
Pushing to finish the fence would seal the election FOR you. We know you have compassion, we know you love America, put our country first at the border- ahead of environmental issues.
This is the issue for which we will have to work hardest – The Fence.
We win the first victory in November over the commies, then we fight our own party for The Fence.
True. This was doomed from the start. When Congress passes an Act then doesn’t fund it – in a controversial mid-term election year – it’s a safe bet it’s an empty gesture. Shame on us for not keeping the pressure on. We need to vote these folks out of the House and Senate. Down ticket elections are HUGELY important!
I noticed that Ahern referred to “environmental issues”. What issues are caused by a fence?
I wonder if part of the solution is to declare that since a fence is necessary to the safety of the country that the fence shall be exempt from environmental issues – and from lawsuits. If we’re not fighting amongst ourselves, maybe we can get the thing built.
Amen. Indeed!!
The fence is eye candy anyway. It alone will not solve the problem. Attrition through enforcement is the only way we get to keep the rule of law and our country.
We need Comprehensive Immigration Enforcement, not reform. We need to restore respect for the law and the faith of the American people that their government is not selling them out. Amnesty for the illegal aliens is also amnesty for the corrupt companies who have been employing them. Money trumps everything, including love of country. Multi-nationals have no loyalty to country by definition, they see us as a market, not a nation. They see people as workers, documented or undocumented, no difference. If they can’t send the work to where the labor is cheaper, then they want to bring the cheap labor here. If citizenship becomes meaningless, this is no longer The United States of America.
If we love our Constitution and our representative Republic and we intend to keep it we must not surrender our sovereignty or abandon the rule of law. Profits must not supercede security. We should not create a new path to citizenship. We have a path to citizenship, more generous than any other country, illegal aliens have ignored it and bad choices do have consequences.
It is news to me that the fence is even half finished.
When McCain tries to open the borders again, you can ask for your RNC donation back up until a year later.
The idea that McCain would have turned his nomination acceptance speech into a strategy outline on how to address illegal immigration is flat out stupid.
As is helping to elect someone who is more open borders then he is because you don’t like his stand on immigration. How is it better to fight Amnesty under an obama presidency?
What is the plan for stopping an Amnesty under an Obama presidency?
I would really love to hear that.
When a group of jihadists sneak a nuclear weapon across the border (either one) and detonates same, at that point actions to seriously enhance border security will commence.
Running out of money huh?
What a joke our government has become.
Jamie Gorelick doesn’t work at ICE does she? It would be a Trifecta of Criminal Ineptitude.
When do we start calling this intentional?
Excellent point! It seems border issues will be affected down ticket in the House and Senate anyway.
I’ll fight on this issue when Quazi-socialism is not threatening to eat my family.
I’ll vote McCain-Palin, THEN I’ll get the fence done. Because, frankly, there’s no way it’s gonna get done right now.
well said and 100% accurate. however, i do not see a democrat in office changing the current state of affairs, only making it worse.
I would really be happy about voting for McCain if he was not for amnesty and really wanted the border shut down. But, alas I cannot stomach an Obamtiler as President.
OT: What happened to HotAir.com? All I get is a blank page, no source code in the view source window. Its gone?!
Lets not forget the outcome of Reagans fence, it too was stopped just after the equipment was delivered and left in the desert to rot. Who made this decision?
If it had been completed we would not have the 12-20 million problem now. How many lives would have been saved, how much misery avoided, how many more americans working?
McShamesty is still McShamesty, we will have to fight this fight again.
It is working normal for me.
Build baby! build baby! build baby!
Michelle, I got a “Critical Issues Survey” from the RNC and McCain today asking questions about how I feel on various topics. I live in California.
The only thing about ‘immigration’ was on the part that said, “Who would best handle” and then there was a list of items such as Taxes, War in Iraq, “Immigration” with boxes for Republicans, Democrats, and Undecided. I answered that one by adding a box that said “Neither!”
There were two questions concerning the economy and I checked some boxes of what most concerned me and then filled in “other” and said “Illegal Invasion/Open Borders – BUILD THE FENCE!” to both.
Then there was a question about should we give law enforcement the tools they need to monitor terrorists. I marked yes and to the side added, “And to deport illegals.”
A friend was standing next to me when I opened the letter and saw the survey, and I said, “Watch, there will be no mention of Illegal Immigration or Amnesty in this. And sure enough, not a word!
Oh yeah, there was another question about addressing the Social Security issue. In ‘Other’ I wrote, “No amnesty so 25 million more people won’t be trying to collect!”
How many of our(taxpayer) $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ did our elected officials send to Mexico so that Mexico could stop illegals from crossing Mexico’s SOUTHERN border???!!!!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQuvsIi2eSc&feature=iv
Congress just passed a $400,000,000 bill to send to Mexico but not for border enforcement. I say keep it and spend it on the fence!!!!
400 Million to Mexico?? And no fence???
People don’t pay attention to the lack of any border security because they just don’t give a damn about it. Especially the Dems. The Republicans aren’t any better.
No, no, it’s mass hysteria about the sub-prime crisis, how everybody’s losing their homes, losing their jobs, that it’s recession-depression which will be made all the better by Obummer’s magical glow.
/sarc off
Economic shortcuts were fine for Americans when they could buy their cheep, made in China goods in Walmart, and looked the other way (if they cared) when buying goods that were brought to them by illegals, but now that the “hot air” has been pricked out of the economy, people are befuddled, just befuddled about what happened.
What’s happened is that the US kept letting in folks, added them to the welfare rolls and dependent class and natives have to share that. Nor can Americans go to ER’s anymore.
Americans are short-sighted folks. They’re too busy bemoaning the failing economy while their country’s being invaded, our debt’s shooting up, and our dollar is worthless. Pres. Bush, Republicans, and Democrats all had a part to play and they let this issue go.
It’s not just the politicians that don’t get it. Americans don’t get it. Will it take another 9/11 reactionary moment for the dim light bulbs to switch on?
I sure hope not.
I learned this because Mexico is pissed that they have not recieved the money yet! The DEMAND IT NOW!
I do
San Diego talk show host, Roger Hedgecock, is taking close to 100 local people to DC to talk to Congressional Representatives about securing America’s Border. 40+ other talk show hosts from across America are participating. The dates are Sept. 9th – 14th.
The house next door to me here in Southern California sold. The termite tenting was done by Mexicans jabbering in Spanish. The yard clean up was done by Mexicans jabbering in Spanish. The current painting and remodeling is being done by Mexicans jabbering in Spanish.
During this two weeks of work, several hundred dollars of our firewood I bought this summer preparing for the winter disappeared, and there is nobody I can talk to about it, and no one that cares…
Mexico is glad to get rid of its worst losers and let us deal with them… thank you Jorge Bush, and soon, more thanks to Juan McAmnesty.
McCain can wear all the lipstick he wants, but he’ll still be an amestist.
I do not like McCain; his density on immigration is as solid as the fence is amorphous.
Ironic that today is September 10. The people that oppose this fence are still living in a mindset that applied to this day 7 years ago.
And Congress wonders why it has a 10% approval rating.
But McAmnesty is old… Palin is young. I am putting my eggs in her basket and hope she will get a chance to do better… Obama would be a horrible alternative.
Let’s face it. The fence will never get built. Period.
$400 million overbudget? Sheesh, I get stomach pains when I am $15k overbudget.
Someone is porking the porkers. What a waste.
The government has failed the people, McCain has said border security is first. Now would be a good time to step forward and prove that.
I’m still voting for the woman … the future.
With unemployment on the rise, the critters debate more visas and de-fund the fence.
Absolute Morons!
This is why Palin is what this country needs, an outsider not yet corrupted by the old guard!
Virginia Patroit 1 & 10 – Well said!!
Thanks Michelle for the post, had not heard much on the “fence” in awhile, my Congresscritter Rep. is no help, can’t wait for Nov.4th!
Fixed
Rob, that jibberjabbering really frosts me. The arrogance of these people is unreal. They have ZERO inclination to even learn the language of the country they’ve invaded. My husband refuses to go to Wal-Mart for me on Sunday mornings because he says it’s Mexican day, and you’re likely among a handful of people that can even speak English.
The same goes for the local YMCA. When the announcement comes over the loudspeaker that the childwatch center is closing, they keep on with whatever they’re doing — until a nursery worker comes to tell them they have to get their kid.
Recently, when I couldn’t contain myself with the ta ta ta ta ta ta, I heaved a belabored sigh. Two illegal women glared at me. I just ignored them, like they ignore everything American about this country. The best part was that all the Americans around me theought I was just huffing and puffing because of exertion, but those Mexican broads knew the deal.
Virginia Patriot -
When you stick to the issue and don’t bash McCain, you’re spot on!
Don’t forget about closing the anchor baby loophole.
Forget fence, more immediate threat is today in the House Judiciary committee-
http://www.numbersusa.com/content/news/september-8-2008/vote-expected-wednesday-recapturing-unus.html
I strongly agree with everything you said… except for your first sentence. The fence is not eye candy. It is physical challenge to illegal immigration, just as legal enforcement among business is a legal challenge.
And fences DO work. Look at how they have already slowed crossings to a trickle where they’ve been implemented, or look at how they have helped Israel slow terrorist attacks.
No one I know has ever advocated “just a fence”. It should exist alongside of other enforcements as part of a comprehensive package.
Rather than building a wall let’s make a trench.
PC Rose in to call sandyb a bigot in 5…4…3..
dominigan,
I am all for a fence, it does make it more difficult to enter on foot. But don’t let the politicians fool you into believing that it will do anything about illegal aliens already here and visa overstays. What I meant by eyecandy is that many of our politicos think if they build a fence across 1/3 of our southern border they can then get on with the business of betraying their constituents with another amnesty.
Any amnesty is surrender, not only to the demands of citizens of other countries illegally in our country, but also to those who have been encouraging them to break our laws. Corporations have been paying off our politicians to subvert enforcement of existing laws since they were passed in 1986. We won’t be bamboozled again. The jig is up. We know this is not about immigration, it is about importing cheap labor. ENFORCE THE LAW NOW. SECURE THE BORDER NOW. Maybe after 20 years of action, to make up for the 20 years of inaction we’ve had, we can talk about immigration reform.
20-30 million citizens of other countries are in our country illegally, 55% from Mexico, most of the rest from other Central and South American countries. Let’s not ignore the leftward voting trends of these countries. It is notable that they picked May Day, an old communist day of celebration for their marches.
Most polls show at least half of the American citizens of Hispanic descent want the borders and laws enforced. Republicans will not win by alienating their current voters to get 40% of a new small block that will grow very large, very fast if amnesty is granted. That will grow the Democrats vote larger and faster as the influx increases exponentially as the result of another amnesty. It will spell the end of the Republican Party. The people who used to vote Republican will stop voting or form a new party. Conservatives will lose political influence and we will slide inexorably towards socialism (it has already started).
Most of what you hear about this issue is political propaganda that tries to convince you to give up your country without a fight, including on Fox News. The big money players are all on board the cheap labor express, they care not that American citizens do not want another amnesty. We know the last one resulted in 10 times the number of illegal aliens and a general disregard of our laws. The next one will be equally successful.
Michelle has been a strong advocate for this cause for years, as a parent I am very greatful.I have been watching this since after the attacks of 9/11, and the websites I have looked at and people I have talked have given me wonderful information on this subject.
The simple way to explain this situation is this…
The Democrats in OUR Govt.love the Illegals because it means more VOTES for them.
The Republicans love the Illegals because of the CHEAP LABOR.
MONEY and POWER… And while they continue thier Clear Plastic shroud of deception (they think we are dumb),Americans are dieing everyday at the hands of an Illegal. I hate to say this, but it may take “pitchforks” and a march on Washington to get ACTUAL CHANGE.
By the way, does Juan Hernandez still work for the McCain campaign? I’m still scratching my head on that because he did work for Vincente Fox, he had a CABINET position in the Mexican Govt…
John Deaux,
Is it my fault that McCain authored the last amnesty bill? Is his block-headed intransigence my fault? If he stands up for American citizens and American sovereignty, I’ll support him whole-heatedly. Not until.
I don’t fault your frustration. It’s my number one issue also. I hardly recognize my hometown anymore and this is all happening with the overt support of town officials. I just can’t understand how you’re willing to give the election to the candidate that is even worse on this issue and every other one also.
40%? It’ll be more like 25%
I doubt it will end the Republican party but it will most certainly destroy the conservative movement as we know it. I know that’s the primary goal of the democrats, get rid of the opposition. I just can’t figure out why Bush, McCain, and other Republicans are so willing to help them. I guess they see conservatives as the opposition as well.
Let’s see. We can’t fund a fence meant to protect our borders (I remember bush also saying it was prohibitivley expensive at a few B$’s), yet these idiot pols find $50B for africa aid and money to fund the southern Mexican border security (can’t remember the exact amount). Not to mention the $100’sB being spent rebuilding Iraq or the $200B Freddie/Fannie bailout. When something so obviously important is pushed to the side, the cause is lost. BINO (border in name only).
If the Mexican government told our government that they needed $400 million to complete their southern border fence, the check would be in the mail today!!
Look how the LIBERAL media is covering the evil Americans!
CNN.com
Bingo. Hence why the fence is among the lowest deterrents to the problem. The long term solution must be ELIMINATION of the MAGNETS that draw and keep them here (no jobs, no welfare, no anchor babies, no hope of citizenship). Then allow ATTRITION of those already here to take hold. That would eliminate 99% of the current and future illegal alien problem.
Thanks for the update Michelle. I’m in Las Vegas this week and next but I will email (and call if possible) RINO Specter’s office today.
Solo,
I used Bush’s high water mark, it is true that MCain is currently polling 23%, which represents less than 1.5% of the total vote. His amnesty pandering has actually COST him votes among Hispanic citizens. Bush did better because he was saying No Amnesty, even if we didn’t know he didn’t mean it. If the current illegals get the vote, expect them to vote Democrat 90-10.
Michelle,
Why did you mock the only Presidential candidate who committed to building the fence?
Self-correction:
That candidate wasn’t the only candidate to commit to building the fence (I think Duncan Hunter did, too), but that candidate was the only one to commit to all of Senator Sessions’ points.
So is the 670 miles of fencing really “half finished” or are they including the fenceless monitoring BS and stuff like vehicle barriers? If it is true then that is probably 40% more finished than I thought.
What the hell are we doing talking about the fence? We need to go make up some more outrage over the lipstick pig comment about McCain’s policy. No time to talk about securing our border, they are calling Palin a pig. Don’t worry about the illegals. fake outrage is more important.
I WANT MY DAMN FIREWOOD BACK!
Look at this B.S., the city attny has to ask a judge for this?
rsb1 said:
“I noticed that Ahern referred to “environmental issues”. What issues are caused by a fence?” You have got to be kidding. They have had to jump through hundreds of very expensive environmental hoops and fight off legal challenges from some very well bankrolled organizations. See: http://www.borderfenceplanning.com
Don’t worry about it State, and Homeland Security. Perhaps, you nice folks will be in the ice cream store the next time an illegal alien drives drunk with no license, or insurance.
You stupid CFR members, open boarder, change the culture New World Order pricks!
I strongly suspect that ICE purposely chose areas for fencing it knew would be challenged by environmentalists. Mutual interest in not having the fence built (politics makes strange bed fellows). In Texas they were putting the fence like 20-40 miles inside the border, cutting farms and ranches in half. Still don’t know what is wrong with right dead center border line or even a litte on the mexican side. Let them complain. Who cares.
What part of “No illegal immigration” do you not understand?
Rob, I hope you get your firewood back, it’s going to be a cold winter.
At least an illegal didn’t kill or rape my wife. I guess I got lucky they just stole firewood… annoying though…
Weary Citizen wrote: “I strongly suspect that ICE purposely chose areas for fencing it knew would be challenged by environmentalists…In Texas they were putting the fence like 20-40 miles inside the border…Still don’t know what is wrong with right dead center border line or even a litte on the mexican side.” Are you too weary to do a little reading before having an opinion? ICE doesn’t have anything to do with the fence. Border Patrol agents were asked where they thought the fence would be most effective, and that is where they are planning to build it. They are not building the fence 20 or 40 miles from the border. In some places they are having to build the fence as much as a mile from the river to avoid the flood plain. The very few people whose farms are divided by this are being handsomely rewarded for their trouble. If you built the fence in the “dead center,” you would be building it in the middle of the Rio Grande. In the Western states, where there is no river, they are building the fence right on the border, no more than 60 feet north of it. Finally, ANY PLACE the government decided to build fence was bound draw environmental objections. That is why the waiver authority was written into the law, and that is why it was exercised. Paranoia strikes deep.
Paranoia about where the fence is being built, or the change of culture being supported with 30-60 million illegal aliens sucking off the sugar tit?
I’m sorry. Not all law breakers are on the sugar tit, and murdering Americans. Some are working hard, and getting free health care paid for by Americans.
You illegal aliens give that fire wood back to Rob too!
I would donate money towards building the fence. Just get it done.
Hell, the Mexicans would probably steal the damn fence too…
Me research? You moron!!! Just who in the h*ll owns the construction of the fence? Oh yea, ICE. The BP is under ICE, and ICE is under Homeland Security. In case YOU were too lazy or stupid to see, I support the fence.
I have am very well aware of all aspects of illegal immigration, smart*ss. And I know for a COMPLETE fact they are building the wall in places well off (20-30 miles off) the border here in Texas. The morning talk shows highlight this at least once a month and the liberal rag paper bemoans it weekly. And if you think Homeland Security really wnats to build this fence at all, I have bridge to sell you.
Now, that said, I will state again, newbie. I beleive the fence is the least effective measure we could take. It does nto address visa overstays nor does it address those already here. It is a step in the right direction if a real solution is not implemeted. The only real solution is to DRY UP THE MAGNETS (no jobs, no welfare, no anchor babies, no hope of citizenship). That will stop more form coming and those here will ATTRIT when it no longer benfits them to stay.
Wrong, Weary. The Border Patrol and ICE are both agencies under DHS. Neither is “under” the other; neither has authority over the other. Their functions are separate. ICE has had nothing to do with the fence. DOI has had more influence. There is a nice organizational chart on the DHS website, if you care to look it up. Also, please identify for me one location where the fence is being built 20 or 30 miles from the border. Just one, please. A hint: There is a website that lists all of the proposed construction site locations and their environmental issues. The link is at http://www.borderfenceplanning.com
I have spent several pleasant hours browsing it. Please let me know when you’ve found that fence that is 20 or 30 miles from the border. By the way, I have been a member of this forum for quite a long time, I’m thinking a couple of years, and I appreciate every word Michelle writes. She is a national treasure. I agree with you on the visa overstays, the jobs, the anchor babies and the rest. I also object to the “family reunification” provisions of the ‘86 and ‘96 laws. Oh, and I am not a moron, thank you, you old charmer, you. I am just one of those people who always does her homework. My attitude toward talk radio is “Trust, but verify.” I await your identification of that fence location far, far from the border.