September 14, 2006

House Republicans Will Push for 700 Miles of Fencing on Mexico Border

NY Times

WASHINGTON, Sept. 13 — House Republicans announced Wednesday that they would move swiftly to pass legislation requiring the Bush administration to build 700 miles of fencing along the Mexican border to help stem the flow of illegal immigrants and drugs into the United States.

The legislation, which is expected to go to the House floor for a vote on Thursday, would require construction of two layers of reinforced fencing along stretches of California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas that are considered among the most porous parts of the border.

It would also require officials of the Department of Homeland Security to establish “operational control” over all American land and sea borders by using Border Patrol agents, fencing, satellites, cameras and unmanned aerial vehicles.

The bill is the first in a series of border security measures House Republicans have promised to pass before the midterm elections in November.

The House majority leader, Representative John A. Boehner, Republican of Ohio, hailed the legislation as “a critical step towards shutting down the flow of illegal immigration into the United States.”

Democrats promptly criticized the plan as political grandstanding intended to energize conservative voters before the elections.

The House passed a nearly identical fencing provision as part of a border security bill in December. Michael Chertoff, the homeland security secretary, has publicly raised doubt about the effectiveness of border fencing, particularly in remote desert areas.

While the Senate easily approved 370 miles of border fencing in its own immigration bill in May, it is unclear whether the two chambers will be able to reach agreement on the issue before Congress recesses this month. House leaders have said they will not support the Senate bill, which would create a guest worker plan and put millions of illegal immigrants on a path to citizenship in addition to toughening border security.

Jennifer Crider, a spokeswoman for the House Democratic leader, Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, dismissed the fence bill as partisan politicking. “Republicans have a record of failure on border security,’’ Ms. Pelosi said, “and this is their attempt to cover up that record.’’

House Republicans countered that immigration hearings held across the nation in August showed that Americans expected Congress to toughen border security, particularly while the country remained under threat of terrorist attacks.

Congressional staff members predicted that some House Democrats, especially those from border states, would support the fencing bill.

The barriers, which are to be accompanied by additional lighting, cameras and ground sensors, would be built near Tecate and Calexico on the California border; Columbus, N.M.; and El Paso, Del Rio, Eagle Pass, Laredo and Brownsville in Texas.

House Republicans have also proposed counterfeit-proof Social Security cards for citizens and immigrants searching for work, measures that would require the deportation of immigrants linked to Central American gangs and an increase in the number of Border Patrol agents as part of their border security agenda.

“The first priority of the American people is secure borders,’’ said Representative Peter T. King, Republican of New York, who is the chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee.

House Republicans said they were encouraged by what they called the success of a 14-mile fence at San Diego that was mandated by Congress in 1996. Crime rates have dropped by 47 percent since the fence was constructed, they said, and the number of illegal immigrants captured dropped to about 9,000 in 2005 from about 200,000 in 1992.

Amy Call, a spokeswoman for the Senate majority leader, Bill Frist of Tennessee, said Senate Republicans would consider the legislation.

“The leader believes very strongly that we need to secure the border,’’ Ms. Call said. “We’ll look at all options to do that.’’

Senator Jeff Sessions, the Alabama Republican who championed the fencing provision in the Senate, praised House Republicans for pushing ahead with the legislation. Mr. Sessions said he was concerned that the Senate proposal, which had been attached to the military appropriations bill, might not receive adequate financing.

“They’ve put forth a strong barrier bill,’’ Mr. Sessions said of House Republicans. “It’s time for us to complete the job.’’