Is Bush Getting the Message on the Fence?

Cross posted from The Virtuous Republic

Maybe, just maybe, the incredible pressure being brought to bear on the Bush administration is finally paying off. It seems Chertoff is finally going to start building the border fence. Of course, Americans still need to remain skeptical and only the finished fence will be proof of our government's commitment to securing our southern border.

Construction on a border wall in southern Texas is expected to begin by this autumn, despite strong local opposition, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said in an interview published on Thursday.

Chertoff told the Houston Chronicle the federal government "can't rule out" using powers of eminent domain to seize land for the wall that is intended to stem the flow of illegal immigrants entering the United States from Mexico.

In heavily Hispanic southern Texas, where cultural and economic ties to Mexico run deep, local officials, business groups and environmentalists have spoken out against the wall as unnecessary and unwanted.

But Chertoff said national security was at stake, so the project will move ahead shortly.

"I expect we'll be doing some construction in Texas this fiscal year," he said, referring to the government fiscal year ending September 30.

Local officials said recently they had been told the Homeland Security department plans to have 153 miles of wall in place in Texas by the end of 2008.

 

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