In border fence’s path, legislative roadblocks
Loopholes mean fence may never be built, at least not as advertised
Image: Mexican children at border with U.S.
Sarah L. Voisin / Washington Post
Mexican children run toward the border to the United States in Rancho Anapra outside of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, on May 12. New Mexico is right on the other side of the fence. About a 100 yards away the fence stops abruptly and on the other side is a flat field where the children often play soccer.

By Spencer S. Hsu
The Washington Post
Updated: 2:25 a.m. PT Oct 6, 2006

No sooner did Congress authorize construction of a 700-mile fence on the U.S.-Mexico border last week than lawmakers rushed to approve separate legislation that ensures it will never be built, at least not as advertised, according to Republican lawmakers and immigration experts.

GOP leaders have singled out the fence as one of the primary accomplishments of the recently completed session. Many lawmakers plan to highlight their $1.2 billion down payment on its construction as they campaign in the weeks before the midterm elections.

But shortly before recessing late Friday, the House and Senate gave the Bush administration leeway to distribute the money to a combination of projects -- not just the physical barrier along the southern border. The funds may also be spent on roads, technology and "tactical infrastructure" to support the Department of Homeland Security's preferred option of a "virtual fence."
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What's more, in a late-night concession to win over wavering Republicans, GOP congressional leaders pledged in writing that Native American tribes, members of Congress, governors and local leaders would get a say in "the exact placement" of any structure, and that Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff would have the flexibility to use alternatives "...
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A virtual fence does not prevent anything, rather it allows for selective enforcement. If there were a real fence you could not "open" the gates and allow for illegal immigration. At the end of the day it is very clear that Bush does not want to secure the border, so the legislation is simply political. We actually have had detection systems in place for 30+ years. Especially so in New Mexico along white sands missle range, orogrande missle range, fort bliss and Mc gregor missle range. The same system is also employed at Holloman Air Force Base and other military areas with great success. What surfaces here is the uber goal of the administration which is creation of the NAU and the Nasco super highway.

In the end there is some reason Bush does not want to secure the border and I am not sure I want to know what it is...

Again, I have no real answer, yet would assume the answer is as simple as Bush and is in his simple view on the issue as said here.

Bush Speech to Nation on Immigration

Then there may be another motive but as you noted, the immigration flow across the border has been around under many administrations this last 50 years. Yet no one wanted to deal with it. Perhaps merely for cheap labor and or Business lobbying and or perhaps so that we will not have the rapidly declining population problems of the next 30 years as they have in Europe and Russia, who knows...

At least perhaps this time we will actually do a little rather than nothing as we always have all my life. Then again perhaps not?

All I can say, 10 years ago I would cross the border without concern. But not in the last 10 years will I. I am in favor of controlling our borders by any means neccessary...

I imagine, the 2008 electon will be afire over this issue assuming Iraq is not still a ping and a pong within the belt way.

That is all!!