Lawmaker proposes fencing along US-Mexico border

Lawmaker proposes fencing along US-Mexico border

House Armed Services Chairman Duncan Hunter has proposed building a fence along the country's border in an effort to curb illegal immigration.

Hunter plans to introduce a legislation according to which a two-layer durable fence coupled with lighting and sensors beginning from the Pacific Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico, a 100-yard border zone to the north of the barricades and 25 new ports for entrance will be built.

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At present, a majority of the westernmost 14-mile stretch of the border has parallel fencing. Other crucial locations too have reasonably safe security coverings. However, lengthy stretches of the border are only sheltered with unreliable barbed wires and in a few places, even they are missing.

“Illegal aliens continue to funnel directly into many of our local communities” says Hunter stressing further that it threatens the overall safety of the nation.

Hunter, working on the bill with Virgil Goode, a Republican from Virginia, feels that fencing coupled with severe immigration laws can play a vital role in curbing illegal migration to a certain extent.

The other suggestions made by Hunter include greater penalties being imposed on company employers who recruit staff persons not having their requisite documents. Further, setting up deportation of illegal immigrants already residing in the US, so also not granting US citizenship to U.S.-born kids of illegal migrants and some more strict measures have been chalked out.

Dan Stein, President of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, believes that the fence building will be a very accepted notion and also that it will get massive upsurge of support. Stein himself feels it will segregate the actual reformers from those looking merely for cheap labor.

However, the idea has only managed to invoke instant but mixed reactions.

While Republican Governor Bill Owens of Colorado is in favour of the legislation, Senator John Cornyn, a Texas Republican, does not feel fencing can stop illegal migration.

National Council of La Raza, the largest US-based Hispanic advocacy group, also aired similar views. Cecilia Munoz, the group's Vice President, feels the plan does not answer questions as to the causes behind such migration and even why the economy hugely relies on their labor.

Munoz concludes that the utility of manpower on both sides of the border is more important than building a fence.

Let Freedom Ring, a conservative group which is promoting a border predicts the expenditure to be close to $8 billion.