2006 Secure Fence Act . . . if the money's there, why has there been no major progress on our borders?

Question

http://news.findlaw.com/hdocs/docs/immigration/securefenceact2006.html

Answer 1

It would be fun to cite some hush, hush, conspiratorial reason why no progress has been made, but I believe this is just another example of government incompetence.

Money was also appropriated for improved security scanners at all the major airports. A lot of the machines were purchased in a timely fashion. Then.... they sat in warehouses. Airports tried requisitioning them, but there was no clear method for getting them authorized and shipped. So, you had machines. You had people who wanted the machines. But you had no way to make the two connect.

Same nonsense with the FEMA trailers after Hurricane Katrina.

Some people denounce the "No Child Left Behind Act", saying there's not enough money to comply, but the truth is usually that the school administrators have not filed the correct paperwork to receive the funds.

Let's do this: after each Presidential term in office, advertising billboards in each of the major cities should be rented by a voter advocacy group showing a list of what was promised, and what was actually delivered.

That's the problem with government and voters. We fall for all the pie in the sky promises, and then quickly forget that nothing was accomplished. Same thing happens in business. I was at one company where, every year, managers would give inspirational speeches about all the great ideas they were going to put into practice. I kept track of what was done. One in ten was the record.

Answer 2

because hardly anybody really wants a fence, and almost everyone realizes it's almost unfeasable anyway for a variety of reasons and probably wouldn't work anyway.

The politicians used immigration as a political football, primarily to distract us from other issues like Iraq that they were tired of getting beat on for.

Apparently, that legislation that was passed regarding building a fence, had a ton of loopholes in it. The fine print specified that there would only be a fence in certain areas and not others. I'm no genius, but that tells me those wanting in would simply GO AROUND! Also, the legislation stipulated that some or all of the fence would be "electronic" - meaning it wouldn't be a fence at all but rather cameras watching the border. Not to be negative here, but cameras aren't going to stop people from running across the border.

The bottom line was that the whole legislation was just a dog and pony show to create the impression that something was being done. It achieved it's purpose and now that the spotlight is off them, nobody in Washington has the attention span to actually DO anything - which in this case is good because the fence wouldn't accomplish anything other than wasting taxpayer dollars.

Answer 3

Because the fence was a political idea, not a practical idea.

In order for the fence to even have a change beyond the single digits, it would have to encircle the nation. It would have to follow both the Mexican and the Canadian borders and we would have to fence in the entire coast line of America. You think Mexicans don't know how to use boats?

Further, the Mexicans on the Mexican side of the fence are dismantling the fence on their side a little bit every day. Some estimates place the cost of maintaining the fence as a result of these efforts at about $1 million a mile every year. The Mexicans don't want it so they're dismantling it and the thing about a fence is that it keeps both sides out. So it's very difficult to stop them.

Now, if you're looking at the fence to keep out terrorists, think again. The terrorists fly into the country on first class tickets. They're not sending Abu bin Badarse in here. He has a record. They're sending in Mohammad Al Gotnorecord. And they have the money to do that.

So you see, the fence is unworkable as a practical solution to keeping out illegals and it's useless in keeping out terrorists.

Answer 4

There has definately been progress on your borders. The fence might not be built yet but there are more guards, more patrols, more surveillance. even coming from Canada we now need to bring passports or we dont get across the border. There will always be ways of sneaking in to the US and there will always be a place for illegal aliens to work in the US. Its like homelessness there really isnt a cure for it.

By the way you are a cutie!

Answer 5

Well, I believe that it's the governments fault because if they were serious about keeping the illegal aliens out, then they would do something about it. Like the illegals can come into america with there trucks and stuff, but we are not allowed to go over there on their properety.

Answer 6

The US government, both Mr. Bush and the Congress, are not interested in putting up the fence and stopping the flow of illegals. Try to get them to explain it to you. My guess is they won't.

Answer 7

Do you reall ythink a fence is going to keep people out? Hah! All that will do is provide lots of money for politically connected fencing contractors.

Answer 8

Its not profitable to close the border to those with power. It would cut down on cheap labor.

Answer 9

Because bush is an a&&. Hes doesnt really wanna close them because hes republican. He wants business with mexicans. He thinks that mexicans working for 4$ and hour is better than and american without a job!

Answer 10

A fence does not fit the NAU agenda, that's why.