Mexico opposed to U.S. border fence

[Judi Lynn]

Sept. 28, 2006, 9:40PM
Mexico opposed to U.S. border fence

© 2006 The Associated Press

MEXICO CITY — Mexico warned Thursday that the U.S. proposal to build miles of border fence will damage relations between the two countries.

The Foreign Relations Department said it was "deeply worried" about the proposal, which is working its way through the Senate, adding it will "increase tension in border communities."

"These measures will harm the bilateral relationship. They are against the spirit of co-operation that is needed to guarantee security on the common border," the department said in a statement.

The House of Representatives and Senate are maneuvering to speed construction of a 700-mile fence along the United States' southern border aimed at keeping migrants and criminals from entering the country illegally.

A House-Senate homeland security funding bill containing $1.2 billion to begin building the fence could be passed and sent to President Bush before lawmakers depart Washington this weekend.
(snip/...)

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/world/4223146.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

U.S.-Mexico border fence may harm animal migration

By Tim Gaynor
Reuters
Thursday, September 28, 2006; 12:51 PM

DOUGLAS, Arizona (Reuters) - A plan to fence off a third of the U.S. border to stop illegal immigration from Mexico may harm migration routes used by animals including rare birds and jaguars, environmentalists and U.S. authorities warn.

The House of Representatives passed a bill this month authorizing the construction of about 700 miles (1,120km) of double fencing along the 2,000-mile (3,200-km) border, which was crossed by more than one million illegal immigrants last year.

The proposal, which the Senate is expected to vote on in coming days, seeks to build continuous barriers separated by an access road for patrol vehicles on long stretches of the border in California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.

Environmentalists and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wardens say the barrier would disrupt the migration of scores of species from jaguars to hawks and humming birds along a wildlife corridor linking northern Mexico and the U.S. southwest known as the "Sky Islands."

The chain of 40 mountain ranges links the northern range of tropical species such as the jaguar and the parrot in the Mexican Sierra Madre Mountains, and the southern limit of temperate animals such as the black bear and the Mexican wolf in the U.S. Rocky Mountains.
(snip/...)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/28/AR2006092800833.html

[GetTheRightVote]

1. the positive side is that no illegals will get in either, sorry for rest

I am an environmentalist but this illegal issue is driving me crazy, I do not want illegals in this country taking away jobs from native Americans period. I hope it all works out in the end though.

:kick:

[keopeli]

3. I disagree. Fences don't work. Enforcement does.

I, too, think the illegal resident problem is frustrating, but the solution isn't pouring a billion dollars into the fence construction industry (aka Halliburton).

The answer is simply to enforce the law. Penalize employers for hiring illegal residents. Develop a system of taxation and enforce the laws. Eliminate hiring illegal residents completely. After all, it's the LAW.

Peace

[pampango]

4. Fences have sometimes worked well at keeping people IN...

see prison wall and the Berlin Wall, but they have to be backed up by firepower which this wall will lack (since I hope no one expects that people who get near or past the wall will be shot, like they were at the Berlin Wall.)

You are right, though, that walls built to keep people OUT have a miserable history of failure like the Great Wall and the Maginot Line. I don't think enforcement will ever work. Certain sectors are so used to hiring relatively cheap immigrant labor that they will encourage politicians in both parties to not make them raise wages and hire American workers.

[Zavulon]

10. You're right, but neither party is willing to enforce them.

At this point I'm willing to accept anything that might stem even part of the tide. Enough is enough.

[w4rma]

2. Let them have their fence. It will only show how worthless a fence is.(nt)

[sam sarrha]

5. Jaguars..?? is that a new crystal meth drug cartel..??

[oldboy101]

6. 2000 mile border, 700 mile fence?

Hmmm, does something seem wrong here? I understand it will cost millions of taxpayer dollars to build this double fence. Isn't it great how our government figures out how to spend our money? Perhaps they will save some money by employing lower paid Mexicans to build the fence too.

Do you suppose, just maybe, someone will figure out that there is still 1300 miles of open border? No doubt the jaguars and migratory animals will figure it out too.

[Vidar]

7. Lucky the illegals don't have advanced technology like ladders.

[SenorSanchez]

8. I wonder why they don't want a fence

Its probably because there sending half there population over our border. Illegal immigration is a big deal.

[Vidar]

11. Welcome to DU.

[Squatch]

9. This is what's currently passing as a fence near Lukeville, AZ

Mexico is on the right, the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument on the left. On this particular recon to the base of the mountains waaay in the distance, we cut the sign of over 40 people on foot.