BORDER FENCE

The Mexico-United States barrier is the subject of a
great deal of controversy in the United States. Also
known as the border wall or border fence, it is
constructed of several barriers that are intended to keep
illegal Mexican immigrants from traveling across the
border into the United States. The barriers were
originally built as part of a three prong operation to
curtail drug transportation routes from Latin America as
well as illegal immigration. Operation Gatekeeper is in
California, Operation Safeguard is in Arizona and
Operation Hold-the-Line is in Texas.
The placement of the barriers was a strategic effort to
mitigate the flow of illegal border crossings into the
Southwest part of the United States. Unfortunately,
opponents of the barriers claim that they are a drain on
taxpayers' money and more of a political gambit. They
see the Mexico-United States barrier as an ineffective
deterrent to illegal immigration that ultimately and
inappropriately jeopardizes the safety and health of
people seeking sanctuary in the United States. Other
concerns involve the impact on the environment with
regards to animal habitats and migration patterns.
The border itself between Mexico and United States is
fraught with a mix of urban and desert terrain and
spans over 1,900 miles. Both the uninhabited areas of
the border and urban areas are where the most drug
trafficking and illegal crossings take place. Crime is
prevalent in urban cities like El Paso, Texas and San
Diego, California. The border is constructed of a series
of short walls and virtual fence areas that are monitored
by Border Patrol Agents through a system of cameras
and sensors. In the last 13 years, over 5,000 migrant
deaths occurred along the border according to a
document from the Human Rights National Commission
of Mexico.
In 2005, United States Representative Duncan Hunter
from California proposed a plan to construct reinforced
fencing along the entire border, including a 100-yard
border zone on the United States side. An amendment
to the Border Protection, Anti-terrorism and Illegal
Immigration Control Act of 2005 was passed that called
for mandatory fencing along 698 miles of the border. As
a result of the legislation, the government of Mexico, as
well as ministers of several Latin American countries,
condemned the construction plans. Rick Perry, the
governor of Texas, expressed his dissatisfaction and
indicated that the border should be open with a
technologically supported safe and legal migration.
Residents of Laredo, Texas were also displeased as
they were concerned about the economic ramifications
of the fence.
Public Opinion - The Border Defense Debate
In 2006, a CNN poll showed that most Americans
preferred the idea of more Border Patrol Agents rather
than a 700 mile fence. Congress revisited the fence
plans in 2007 as they wanted to see a comprehensive
border security plan, and senators from Texas
advocated a revision. The Secretary of Homeland
Security was able to see the fence plan to fruition
without any legal recourse due to a rider attached to the
Real ID Act of 2005. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act,
Coastal Zone Management Act, Clean Water Act,
Endangered Species Act, National Historic Preservation
Act and National Environmental Policy Act were all
waived when fencing was extended through a research
reserve near San Diego, California. The United States
Department of Homeland Security and United States
Customs and Border Protection spent over $40 million
and earmarked $50 million more to determine the
adverse effects the fence would have on the
environment. Despite these measures, by January 2010,
the fence project from Yuma, Arizona to San Diego,
California was completed. In March 2010, President
Barack Obama froze the expansion of the virtual fence
to use the money to upgrade current border technology