It is difficult to say whether Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff is trying to break through the bureaucracy or build up his boss’s legacy. We tend to think that he is engaging in a little of both.
For the fourth time since Congress approved constructing a high-tech fence to stem the rising tide of illegal immigrants and drug runners along the southern border, Chertoff has waived environmental and other regulations that would normally apply to this multi-state building project.
By virtue of this action, the agency won’t have to adhere to the standard environmental process that could delay construction of the border fence in portions of California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. And delays are the enemy of the Bush administration, which is trying to complete 670 miles of fencing by the end of the year (the Department of Homeland Security reports that it has already installed 309 miles).
This is a hard deadline for President George W. Bush and his Homeland Security chief, both of whom will be out of a job in January 2009. Ironically, this is the same President Bush who showed rare political courage in taking up the cause of immigration reform while it was still supposed to be comprehensive.
Unfortunately, what emerged from Congress, thanks to members of the president’s own political party, was little more than a containment policy. The result was an enforcement-only bill to beef up the ranks of the Border Patrol and build a border fence consisting of fencing, towers, sensors, cameras and access roads.
That fence, according to Chertoff, is already paying dividends when and where it has been erected. But the southern border is 2,000 miles long and includes some of the roughest and most remote terrain in the nation. It also takes in a tremendous swath of desert habitat and is home to native species that have their own human constituencies. The environmental challenges that might have been raised in court to block construction of the project have now been removed.
“Criminal activity at the border does not stop for endless debate or protracted legislation,” Chertoff said, adding that “a substantial portion” of the affected area has already undergone an extensive environmental review.
That may well be, but if we learn in the next several months that the department’s environmental review process hasn’t been as rigorous as its rhetoric, there really isn’t any recourse because Chertoff can simply issue another waiver. Meanwhile, the underlying problem of illegal immigration and what to do with the millions of undocumented workers living and working in the U.S. goes begging for a solution.
Instead, the federal response has been to build a better Band-Aid — and a border fence.
" diana cortez - I have quite an easy solution for you. Build a fence on both borders. Problem solved... "
dianacortez wrote on Apr 3, 2008 6:22 PM:
" fence, fence...what kind of criminal (terrorist) would try to enter a country through the most watched border crossing? obviously, none. in fact, they are in the country..Does someone know how many illegal asians, africans, or europeans enter the country through the canadian border? oops! there is no fence... "
mikegino wrote on Apr 3, 2008 4:28 PM:
" Various media reported today that with a beefed-up Border Patrol presence, crime in south Texas is down 65%. My Yaqui-Mexican wife says build the fence. "
leneeg wrote on Apr 3, 2008 3:57 PM:
" Richardson's political career will be intact regardless of the outcome of the DNC. He probably thinks the same as most of us do, that one Clinton in the White House was enough. Prime example of that; Bush. "
farmallalfalfa wrote on Apr 3, 2008 2:38 PM:
" Creek - You have to keep in mind that that wall was meant to keep people in, not out. "
creek123 wrote on Apr 3, 2008 1:15 PM:
" Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall
"
zanelisk wrote on Apr 3, 2008 10:23 AM:
" Both good comments ( a good comment constitutes one that I agree with).
As for Chertoff, one tends to be loyal to the one who appointed him to a position of power and prominence. It looks really wishy-washy when a presidents appointee takes a different path than that of the appointer. Just look at Gov. Richardson, the Clintons (right or wrong) propelled him to stardom and he turned his back on them to endorse obama. Should Hillery win the presidency (God forbid) I wouldn't give you 15 centavos for Mr. Richardsons future political career. "
farmallalfalfa wrote on Apr 3, 2008 9:39 AM:
" A fence, whether it be virtual or steel, is a good thing. The environmental impact of a fence is microscopic compared to the good that a solid practical fence can bring this nation in the future. As for the illegals currently residing in the U.S., I feel we need to offer them a path to citizenship, but they should not be granted amnesty in front of all of the people waiting to become citizens legally. Rewarding someone for coming to this country illegally? That doesn’t make sense. I’m not saying send them back to their country of origin, but don’t give them all of the benefits that come along with being a U.S. citizen before all of those who are trying to do it the right way.
Also, with the U.S. economy teetering on the edge of recession, it really doesn’t help to have a lot of the wages earned in the U.S. going back into Mexico. If this money was dropped back into goods and services in the U.S. this would help ease the burden that so many are faced with. As for the “illegals do the jobs that Americans won’t” argument. That’s true, because a lot of them are getting paid less than minimum wage and they are lowering the wages of millions of U.S. citizens in the process. Who would want to pay someone $10/hr if they could find someone who will do the job for $5? If they weren’t here to do these jobs, employers would find people to replace them, they would just need to pay a couple more dollars per hour to get the job done. Who do you think held all of these jobs before all of the illegals were here? God forbid I would have to pay $0.25 more for a head of lettuce.
"
gymjunkie wrote on Apr 3, 2008 9:07 AM:
" Yeah right "environmental concerns". What about the environmental impact of herds of people trekking across the desert cutting roads and trails and leaving thier trash and plastic water jugs.
Better not build that fence though, they might have to dig up a cactus. "
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farmallalfalfa wrote on Apr 3, 2008 11:27 PM: