Bush Says Border Fencing Makes Sense

U.S. President George W. Bush (2nd R), Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano (2nd L), receive a tour from Chief of Yuma Sector Ron Colburn (L) and Chief of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Border Patrol David Aguilar (R) as they tour the International Border with Mexico (fence) from the Yuma Sector Border on the United States side in San Luis, Arizona, May 18, 2006. REUTERS/Larry Downing

How about some Bush White House / immigration non-news? This is from Yahoo Non-News:

YUMA, Ariz. - President Bush said Thursday it makes sense to put up fencing along parts of the U.S.-Mexico border but not to block off the entire 2,000-mile length to keep out illegal immigrants.

During a visit to one of the busiest crossing sectors, Bush did not declare his support for either of two competing proposals in Congress — one approved by the House that would build 700 miles of fencing and one in the Senate that would build half that. Instead, he said the Border Patrol should guide the decisions.

"Right here we're at a place where we're using fencing," Bush told Fox News in an interview with a Border Patrol truck and fencing in the background.

"And it makes sense to use fencing here. It doesn't make sense to use fencing in other parts of the border. And the best people to help us design the program are those who are in charge of enforcing the border."

Earlier, Bush spokesman Tony Snow told reporters that the White House supported the Senate measure, which would build 370 miles of fence in areas "most often used by smugglers and illegal aliens" as determined by federal officials.

"We don't think you fence off the entire border," Snow said aboard Air Force One en route to the inspection visit. But, he added, "there are places when fences are appropriate."

Bush's visit to the border was designed to build support for the immigration plan he outlined Monday night in a nationally televised address. It came as he sent Congress a $1.9 billion request to pay for, among other things, temporary deployment of up to 6,000 National Guard troops to help increase security at the border.

So now we're suppose to build a 370-mile fence in areas that are most often used by smugglers and illegal aliens? Mr. President, did it ever occur to you that once you build this 370-mile boondoggle, the smugglers and illegal aliens will go to other parts of the US-Mexican border where the fence is not as secure? And please tell me Mr. President, what are you going to do about American businesses and big corporations that are happily hiring these illegal immigrants at below minimum wages? The Republican Party's "War on Immigration" is looking more like the Republican Party's War on Drugs--build more fences, hire more police, and try to stop the supply from coming across the border, while ignoring both the demand for drugs, and for cheap, immigrant labor that exists inside the United States. This policy hasn't stopped the War on Drugs, and certainly isn't going to stop the War on Immigration.