It's a start. But we need to get a grip, soon, on the false idea that we have to choose between mass deportation and mass citizenship for illegals. The compassionate yet pragmatic alternative is a form of permanent residency, with stronger requirements than we have now, such as English language proficiency. Keep citizenship for those who respect the country enough to obey its laws.

And hopefully the Senate is aware of the mulititude of other laws that will need to be passed to back up immigration reform. Laws such as making it a major crime to either create or use false government documents, and a felony to cross into the country illegally. Right now we have a lot of "laws" which have no penalties---which is exactly the same as having no laws at all.

Only 370 miles? Aren't we talking about close to 1800 miles? And won't the Mexican government sue us?

Which 370 miles is it supposed to be?

Yeah, they'll probably sue us, they've been telling us what to do for years.

DESSP
(DeportEmSiSePuede)

So, who's going to do the work (labor force)?

Three-hundred and seventy miles is nothing, the House wants 700 miles. Does the Senate think leaving open three-hundred and thirty miles is going to stop anyone from coming across? All this bill does it change the entry point, it doesn’t stop anything. The compassionate alternative is not to allow a “path to citizenship” because that is just amnesty anyway you want to look at it.
The correct path is to close the border by building the rest of the security wall and stiff penalties for businesses that hire illegal aliens including fines and jail times. If there is no work there is no reason to stay. And if Congress, and by Congress I mean the Senate, actually supported building the wall and punishing businesses that break the law, it would not be mass deportation, nor would it all happen in a day. It took twenty years for this country to come to 13 million illegal immigrants. In 1986 Congress passed the last amnesty bill which didn’t work then and is not going to work now. Why is it going to be any different this time? Because Teddy Kennedy says so, well he said the same thing in 1986.
I am surprised a blogforbush would be in support of legislation that is supported by Teddy, Hillary and the rest of the Left.

1,952 Miles (3,141km)

A very high voltage electric fence would do just fine, 1,952 miles of it.. Guards at it with guns. No more games. Absolute deportation of all illegal border-jumping criminals, including their children. Round them all up, put then on ships, take them to the south most port in Mexico. The second time we catch them, 5 years in a prison camp in the hot south west, then on a ship with then to south Chili (a longer walk this time).
Stop the game of letting any new citizens getting all of their family in so easy.
The first question on the Citizen Test, What is it you can do that will be good for the United States?

Great idea. I wonder why we haven't thought of this before. The dumb Mexicans will never think of crossing over the 1400 miles of walless border!

It's just too bad we didn't think of this before the Berlin Wall was razed. We could have put it on ferry boats and shipped it up the Gulf of Mexico!

Yep that is where I want my tax dollars going!

I want my tax dollars going to health care for illegals, public education for illegals, and in-state tuition for illegals...

scotch tape, band aids will cover the rest of the border. The problem is fixed! The illegals will never scale over or tunnel under the new fence as they have for years in parts that are already fenced

No one is saying that this is the end solution to the problem; it is simply the first step of many.

aw keefer stop pussy footing around. You want to round up all people with brown skin and shoot them.

Great idea! Build a large ass fence! The Mexicans will NEVER be able to cross into America illegally now!

Listen you redneck wingnuts: you can build a fence as long as the Wall of China and as thick as the Shrub's skull, but sooner or later they will find a way through, be it digging under the fence or climbing over a fence.

Idiots.

Teenage liberal, I suggest you learn how to read. The President has proposed a guest worker program, to reduce the pressure on the border. In addition, he has proposed the introduction of tamper proof employment cards so that no employer can get away with exploiting illegal workers.

These are both proposals that are being blocked by the Democrats.

Hey pimples, did ya notice how many Democraps voted for that fence?

Your pal,
DESSP

Bush proposed fencing in his speech. His plan for the border guard increase is to the right of some "Conservatives" in the House.

This reminds me of the Maginot Line in France during WWII. The Maginot Line was a wonderful defense system set up by Frogs so what did the Germans do?

They went around it.

Why on earth would you fund 370 miles and not the whole thing?

Both parties...good grief. Yeah, it's a start....but it's only a start. Build the whole damn thing.

You're either FOR A FENCE or AGAINST a FENCE. How can you by 24% for a fence which is about the length they are going to build.

Insanity.

Heh, I'll believe it when I see it.

Hell the private effort by the Minute Men to build fences near the border probably has a better chance to actually get fencing put up then this bill does.

No one is saying that this is the end solution to the problem; it is simply the first step of many.

Agreed, Chris; I was only kidding in my earlier post. The 370 miles of fence is supposed to be built in urban areas on the border, and there are other bits of technology that will be employed in areas where there's no fence.

You must understand, Chris, that these trolls are just being who they are. They lurk in the shadows, just like the illegals, and then they pounce when a new topic is presented. As you can tell, they're morons. And it's a slow night--we've only been graced by axis of stupidity, Ash-licker, and teenage window-licker. On a good night, we have six or seven morons at once, and their total IQ barely reaches double digits.

This immigration debate has just begun. Don't expect much to come of it, unless the House caves big time...

Senate Approves 370 Mile Triple-Layer Fence On Border

The problem is that it runs north and south.

I think this is a great start. Three hundred and seventy miles can do a lot by channeling the illegals into areas where we can beef up the security. Also, you can make them cross in tougher terrain which would inhibit many from trying. Saying we need a fence all the way across or it does nothing is like saying we need a cop on every street corner or crime will skyrocket. Lets do this smarter rather than harder, but lets do it.

Thanks for the information Keefer. I’ve made it my mission though to try and shed a bit of light on even the darkest of shadows, hoping in the end that the truth wins.

370 miles of high security fence + 500 miles of vehicle blocks isn't too shabby.

- California is already fenced.

- Texas has the Rio Grande and other crossing barriers already.

The border regions we need to concentrate on are Arizona and New Mexico. 700 miles of fence would just about do it; 370 miles would be a good start.

Besides, I suspects this is just to get the logjam on the Senate floor broken; once they go to conference with the House they'll rewrite the two bills again. It's obvious there's enough support in both the House and Senate to greatly exxpand the terms w/o risking a fillibuster.

Fences alone won't be enough. The Berlin Wall didn't stop everyone.
At the very least, they will need ground mikes, satellite surveillance (real time), and armed patrols.
More important, they will need Texans.
Texans who won't hide or shelter illegals, whether out of greed or familial ties.
Texans willing to put up with the added surveillance, which could include spot checks of their garages and truck beds.
Texans willing to foot the extra bill - it will end up being a state expense in the end.

Well, texans?

Reminds me of the old joke about the "Australian Rabbit Fence." It effectively divided the eastern rabbits from the western rabbits.

This is a step in the right direction by our senators. Senator Sesssions has proved that he listens to his constituents, and that he's tough on enforcing immigration laws.

The GOP has got their act together on immigration. As a key issue affecting many Americans, this is a great reason to show support for your Republican senators.