U.S Says 'Virtual Fence' On Border Ready For Use

[Kor37 9]

U.S. says "virtual fence" on border ready for use

By Randall Mikkelsen,Reuters

Posted: 2008-02-22 19:25:16

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A high-tech "virtual fence" on part of the U.S. border with Mexico is finally ready for service and the technology can fight illegal crossings all along the frontier, the Homeland Security chief said on Friday.

 

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff made the announcement during a review of border-control efforts, at which officials also unveiled higher fines for employers who hire illegal immigrants.

 

Immigration, a highly charged political issue, has been at the forefront in this presidential election year. Republican front-runner Sen. John McCain of Arizona is fighting conservative criticism he has been too soft on illegal immigration, and Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama accuse the Bush administration of heavy-handed tactics.

 

The so-called Project 28 "virtual fence" was built near Nogales, Arizona, by Boeing Co, covering a 28-mile (45-km) stretch of the border. The $20 million project of sensor towers and advanced mobile communications was supposed to be completed in mid-2007 but was delayed by software problems, drawing congressional criticism that continued on Friday.

 

"I have personally witnessed the value of this system, and I have spoken directly to the Border Patrol agents ... who have seen it produce actual results, in terms of identifying and allowing the apprehension of people who were illegally smuggling across the border," Chertoff said.

 

Clinton and Obama suggested in a debate on Thursday that high-tech surveillance could lessen the need for a planned 700-mile (1,130-km) border fence that has drawn opposition along its route.

 

Chertoff indicated the physical fence plans would not change, but said advanced technology would be deployed along much of the border.

 

UNMANNED AIRCRAFT

 

The Homeland Security Department is acquiring a fourth unmanned aerial vehicle for patrols and plans to get two more, he said. It also plans to increase the number of ground-based mobile radar surveillance systems to 40 this year, from six.

 

"In some form or fashion, technology is going to be virtually every place on the border, but it's not necessarily going to be in the configuration of P28," Chertoff said.

 

President George W. Bush asked Congress this month for $775 million to build more fencing along the southern border and install high-tech surveillance equipment and other infrastructure.

 

Rep. Bennie Thompson, a Mississippi Democrat who heads the House of Representatives Homeland Security committee, said the virtual fence project relied too much on contractors and that Border Patrol agents were blocked from pointing out "obvious flaws," impairing performance.

 

"I would hope that they (Homeland Security officials) have learned from these mistakes," he said.

 

Attorney General Michael Mukasey announced the increase in employer fines at the news conference with Chertoff. "We are increasing civil fines imposed on employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants by (an average of) 25 percent, the maximum allowed by law and the first such increase since 1999," he said.

 

The new maximum fine for multiple violations will rise to $16,000 per illegal hire, from $11,000 currently.

 

Mukasey said the Justice Department also aimed to step up criminal prosecutions against the most egregious employers. It plans to add this year 50 new attorneys and 100 deputy U.S. marshals dedicated to border enforcement.

 

 

This is a good start! At least Bush is actually doing something about this problem!

[Theunicornhunter 2]

This is all well and good - but enforcing the laws against knowingly hiring illegals is the best place to start - and stop handing out free services that US citizens can't even qualify for.

[Kor37 9]

This is all well and good - but enforcing the laws against knowingly hiring illegals is the best place to start - and stop handing out free services that US citizens can't even qualify for.

Attorney General Michael Mukasey announced the increase in employer fines at the news conference with Chertoff. "We are increasing civil fines imposed on employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants by (an average of) 25 percent, the maximum allowed by law and the first such increase since 1999," he said.

 

The new maximum fine for multiple violations will rise to $16,000 per illegal hire, from $11,000 currently.

 

Mukasey said the Justice Department also aimed to step up criminal prosecutions against the most egregious employers. It plans to add this year 50 new attorneys and 100 deputy U.S. marshals dedicated to border enforcement.

 

It appears that they are doing that too.

[Lady Britannia 0]

President George W. Bush asked Congress this month for $775 million to build more fencing along the southern border and install high-tech surveillance equipment and other infrastructure.

 

What a waste of money.

 

Pointless unless the real causes of illegal immigration are addressed.

[Wishfire 2]

This is all well and good - but enforcing the laws against knowingly hiring illegals is the best place to start - and stop handing out free services that US citizens can't even qualify for.

Attorney General Michael Mukasey announced the increase in employer fines at the news conference with Chertoff. "We are increasing civil fines imposed on employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants by (an average of) 25 percent, the maximum allowed by law and the first such increase since 1999," he said.

 

The new maximum fine for multiple violations will rise to $16,000 per illegal hire, from $11,000 currently.

 

Mukasey said the Justice Department also aimed to step up criminal prosecutions against the most egregious employers. It plans to add this year 50 new attorneys and 100 deputy U.S. marshals dedicated to border enforcement.

 

It appears that they are doing that too.

 

Increasing fines on people who hire illegals will do nothing if law enforcement agencies don't actively try to locate these people. And since illegal immigration is still a huge problem, it would seem that they're not doing much more about it now than they were before. Which is to say, not much.

[Wishfire 2]

President George W. Bush asked Congress this month for $775 million to build more fencing along the southern border and install high-tech surveillance equipment and other infrastructure.

 

What a waste of money.

 

Pointless unless the real causes of illegal immigration are addressed.

 

The primary cause most illegals leave Mexico to come to the United States is money. (I have no clue why Canadians sneak in... nicer weather, maybe?) They come because they can either stay in Mexico and earn a dollar an hour, or they could come here and earn $10 per hour. Even if they get steady, but lesser-paying, work, they're still doing a hell of a lot better than if they had stayed in Mexico. And let's not forget about all those free benefits... Free dental, free medical, free government assistance, etc.

 

So, what can we do about the real causes of illegal immigration. Well, we could throw a lot of money at Mexico and hope they use it to build at least the beginnings of a decent industrial infrastructure. But, chances are, the same thing will happen in Mexico that has happened in just about every other third-world country that we've wasted our money on... the leaders will absorb most of that money for themselves, and everything that's left over will be divided among the elite few who's earned the government's favors. And to make matters worse, not only do these "leaders" take most of the money for themselves, they insist that they shouldn't have to pay America back because they're so poor... and they insist that America should give them even more money, again because they're so poor. Do we really want the same thing to happen in Mexico?

 

Or we can make Mexico part of the United States. Mexico is a large country with a lot of people in it. If we absorb it all at once, their economy will drag us down, and considering that ours isn't running on full steam at the moment, that's the last thing we want. Or we could absorb each Mexican state individually so as to lessen the strain on our economy... but it was take many years to do even half the job.

 

We're between a rock and a hard place.

[Kor37 9]

Mexico DOES have a lot of resources but the corrupt government there doesn't capitalize on it. They have tons of oil and gold as well as some fantastic vacation sites. Slowly absorbing them into the US might not be such a bad idea.

[trekz 7]

President George W. Bush asked Congress this month for $775 million to build more fencing along the southern border and install high-tech surveillance equipment and other infrastructure.

 

What a waste of money.

 

Pointless unless the real causes of illegal immigration are addressed.

 

The primary cause most illegals leave Mexico to come to the United States is money. (I have no clue why Canadians sneak in... nicer weather, maybe?) They come because they can either stay in Mexico and earn a dollar an hour, or they could come here and earn $10 per hour. Even if they get steady, but lesser-paying, work, they're still doing a hell of a lot better than if they had stayed in Mexico. And let's not forget about all those free benefits... Free dental, free medical, free government assistance, etc.

 

So, what can we do about the real causes of illegal immigration. Well, we could throw a lot of money at Mexico and hope they use it to build at least the beginnings of a decent industrial infrastructure. But, chances are, the same thing will happen in Mexico that has happened in just about every other third-world country that we've wasted our money on... the leaders will absorb most of that money for themselves, and everything that's left over will be divided among the elite few who's earned the government's favors. And to make matters worse, not only do these "leaders" take most of the money for themselves, they insist that they shouldn't have to pay America back because they're so poor... and they insist that America should give them even more money, again because they're so poor. Do we really want the same thing to happen in Mexico?

 

Or we can make Mexico part of the United States. Mexico is a large country with a lot of people in it. If we absorb it all at once, their economy will drag us down, and considering that ours isn't running on full steam at the moment, that's the last thing we want. Or we could absorb each Mexican state individually so as to lessen the strain on our economy... but it was take many years to do even half the job.

 

We're between a rock and a hard place.

LB is right that the root causes of illegal immigration must be addressed. But it's a huge problem not easily solved. Temporary worker visas are one solution, but the weakness of the Mexican economy and lack of jobs is a giant problem.

 

Money is indeed the root of the problem. So is the greed of US employers and companies who see a way to cut costs and boost profits. But American consumers, most of us, are also to blame. A number of the services we may use whether going out to many restaurants, using maids, yard services, going to a hotel, or a cost-cutting super store, many of these businesses are employing undocumented workers whether through fake documents or semi-knowingly. (And those super stores that aren't are employing undocumented workers are selling cheap merchandise from overseas, much of which may be produced in sweatshops, that we can't stop buying, that costs jobs here - but that's another whole thread!) So, many of us need to look in the mirror before we pound our chests about illegal immigrants when we use them or encourage those who use them at establishments or services we use imo.

 

Mexico DOES have a lot of resources but the corrupt government there doesn't capitalize on it. They have tons of oil and gold as well as some fantastic vacation sites. Slowly absorbing them into the US might not be such a bad idea.

I agree that the Mexican government and a number of others are corrupt - although those who allow no bid contracts (Halibuton etc.) shouldn't judge others too harshly. Something does need to be done.

 

However, suggesting that the United States take over a SOVEREIGN COUNTRY is a TERRIBLE idea. We went to war with Mexico and forced them to sell us a huge chunk of the Southwest in the 1840's. So Mexico is going to feel we are just finishing the job! Plus we couldn't handle Pancho Villa a century ago, so do you think a modern guerilla war fought in the US would be a good idea? Annexing Mexico would be seen as another example of imperialism by America and I suspect all of Latin America would feel threatened and combine in a military pact against us. If taking over a sovereign country is OK, how is that so different from what Iraq tried to do in Kuwait? Or what the Soviets did in Eastern Europe? It might seem like a good idea, but again, a TERRIBLE idea imo.

Edited February 26, 2008 by trekz

[Itchygomba69 0]

well can I be on the border Patrol, I was a Badass @ the game Virtual Cop......anyone remember that game?

[Kor37 9]

However, suggesting that the United States take over a SOVEREIGN COUNTRY is a TERRIBLE idea. We went to war with Mexico and forced them to sell us a huge chunk of the Southwest in the 1840's. So Mexico is going to feel we are just finishing the job!

 

I think that Mexico would welcome us and give us the keys to the country. I believe that they want to be part of the US.

[KIMIMELA 1]

Is this a Star Trek board, or a news room? Because I know nothing of US news...

[Kor37 9]

Is this a Star Trek board, or a news room? Because I know nothing of US news...

When's the last time YOU posted a Trek topic?.....and before you ask, I posted one the other day.

[MrPsychic 1]

Is this a Star Trek board, or a news room? Because I know nothing of US news...

It's a combination of both. In fact, we talk both Trek news and UK news.

[trekz 7]

Is this a Star Trek board, or a news room? Because I know nothing of US news...

It's a combination of both. In fact, we talk both Trek news and UK news.

I agree with MrPsychic. The board is both. I am happy to talk UK news when it is posted.

 

As far as this topic, border security and national security would seem to be a hot topic for every part of the world imo. Just look at the results of the tearing down of the Berlin Wall and the colapse of Communism and the Iron Curtain in Eastern Europe to see how important walls or the lack therof can be imo.