SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE

October 5, 2006

Bush signs bill to beef up border security

Measure includes funds for 700 miles of fencing

By Philip J. LaVelle
STAFF WRITER

President Bush signed legislation yesterday calling for more spending on border security, including 700 miles of fencing and 1,500 new Border Patrol agents, drawing praise from House Republicans who toured a drug tunnel at the U.S.-Mexico border here.

Immigration continues to divide the president, who wants a broader approach to the issue, and House Republicans, who only backed enforcement measures.

Critics of the legislation noted that the bill doesn't include enough funding to complete the double-layered barrier.

Bush signed the measure, part of a broader $34.8 billion homeland security funding package, at a ceremony in Scottsdale, Ariz., after a campaign swing through California.

“This legislation will give us better tools to enforce our immigration laws and to secure our southern border,” he said, according to a transcript released by the White House.

Without directly engaging his House critics, Bush spoke favorably of key components of the broader Senate immigration bill, which in addition to enforcement measures includes a pathway to citizenship and a guest worker program.

The House and Senate failed to reach a compromise on immigration reform this year.

“The funds that Congress has appropriated are critical for our efforts to secure this border and enforce our laws,” Bush said. “Yet we must also recognize that enforcement alone is not going to work.”

House Judiciary Chairman James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., author of the House bill, told reporters here that the legislation Bush signed was an important step.

“Congress has heard the American people, and with the homeland security appropriation bill that was signed this morning in Arizona by President Bush, we have taken major steps toward securing the border and putting our money where our mouth is,” he said.

Sensenbrenner was joined by other House Republicans, including Reps. Darrell Issa of Vista and Brian Bilbray of Carlsbad.

The congressmen toured the “El Grande” drug tunnel beneath the vacant V&F Distributors warehouse. The tunnel, discovered by federal agents in January, the tunnel is believed to be one of the largest and most sophisticated ever found at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Sensenbrenner defended key elements of the legislation signed by Bush, including building fences even though they could be bypassed by tunnels. He noted that the legislation includes the Tunnel Protection Act, making it a felony to dig, finance or use a tunnel beneath the borders with Mexico and Canada.

The legislation also includes:

$1.2 billion for 700 miles of border fencing, lighting, vehicle barriers and sensors. Some estimate the cost of the fence as high as $7 billion.

$2.77 billion for the Border Patrol, including 1,500 new agents.

$1.38 billion for detention operations and facilities.

The rift between House and Senate Republicans was underscored Tuesday when Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, predicted that a lack of money would prevent new fencing from being built. Cornyn also expressed doubts about the efficacy of fencing that leaves 1,300 miles of border unprotected.

“Senator Cornyn ought to work with us,” Sensenbrenner said.