[NYTr] GOP push for money for US-Mexico border wall fence

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

sent by Milt Shapiro (mexnews)Nov 8, 2007


AP - Nov 7, 2007

GOP push for money for US-Mexico fence

By ANDREW TAYLOR
Associated Press Writer

Republicans cried foul Wednesday after Democrats cut money for a 
fence along the U.S.-Mexico border from a defense spending bill.

The $3 billion in fence money, aimed at seizing "operational control" 
over the southern border, is likely to pass later in the year as part 
the Homeland Security Department's spending bill.

The money would pay for additional Border Patrol agents, vehicle 
barriers, border fencing and observation towers. It also would be 
used to pursue immigrants who had entered the United States legally 
but overstayed their visas.

The border security money was included in Bush's broader immigration 
bill that collapsed in June. It was to be financed by fines and fees 
on illegal immigrants.

After that measure fell apart, Republicans moved to attach the border 
security plan to the homeland security measure and succeeded by an 
89-1 vote in July.

That vote was so impressive that it became clear that Bush's promised 
veto of Democrats' homeland security budget would be easily 
overridden by Republicans eager to demonstrate toughness on 
immigration.

That led Senate Republicans to add the fence money to the defense 
spending bill in September.

Democrats stripped the money from the defense bill at a House-Senate 
negotiating committee Tuesday, leading to an outcry among Republicans.

"It is clear across the country that the American people want to 
secure our borders first," said Sen. Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C. "They 
want to enforce our laws. And this really is an amazing thing that's 
happened today."

The White House has signaled Bush will accept the additional $3 
billion, even though it also exceeds his budget.

The border fence idea was the GOP's chief immigration initiative of 
last year, pushed hard by House conservatives as an alternative to 
the Senate's immigration bill.

Copyright © 2007 The Associated Press