Border fence issue divides nation
United States approves 700 mile fence
Pete McGuire
Issue date: 11/10/06 Section: World
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The drive from Boston to Guilford College is roughly 700 miles and takes twelve and a half hours. That is approximately the same length as the fence that President Bush has proposed to build along the United States-Mexico border.
On Oct. 26, President George W. Bush signed a law that approved the partitioning of 700 miles of the United States-Mexico border. The law comes as an effort to bolster support for the Republican Party before midterm elections.
"Unfortunately, the United States has not been in complete control of its borders for decades and, therefore, illegal immigration has been on the rise," said President Bush in a press conference directly following the signing of the law. "We have a responsibility to address these challenges. We have a responsibility to enforce our laws. We have a responsibility to secure our borders. We take this responsibility seriously."
But the President's decision to build a border fence has angered many people who believe that it is solely a political move.
"Some U.S. politicians who wish to get elected and stay there realize their political chances are much better playing to the racially charged fears of misinformed voters than discussing the real issues the country now faces," said Blaine Lukkar, director of Guilford's Multicultural Scholars Program. "These politicians benefit alongside the corporations who win the contracts to build these walls"
Whether or not the construction of a physical barrier will help to solve the issues surrounding illegal immigration is hotly contested from each side of the issue.
"Last year, in little-noticed Congressional testimony, FBI Director Robert Mueller revealed that 'individuals from countries with known al-Qaeda connections have attempted to enter the United States illegally using alien smuggling rings and assuming Hispanic appearances,'" according to the Minuteman Border Fence Web site. "There are fewer vehicles in the area where the fence is under construction-proving again that having a presence and taking positive steps to do SOMETHING to secure the border, reduces the flow of illegal aliens, potential terrorists, drug and human traffickers, murderers, rapists and thieves in these areas."
On Oct. 26, President George W. Bush signed a law that approved the partitioning of 700 miles of the United States-Mexico border. The law comes as an effort to bolster support for the Republican Party before midterm elections.
"Unfortunately, the United States has not been in complete control of its borders for decades and, therefore, illegal immigration has been on the rise," said President Bush in a press conference directly following the signing of the law. "We have a responsibility to address these challenges. We have a responsibility to enforce our laws. We have a responsibility to secure our borders. We take this responsibility seriously."
But the President's decision to build a border fence has angered many people who believe that it is solely a political move.
"Some U.S. politicians who wish to get elected and stay there realize their political chances are much better playing to the racially charged fears of misinformed voters than discussing the real issues the country now faces," said Blaine Lukkar, director of Guilford's Multicultural Scholars Program. "These politicians benefit alongside the corporations who win the contracts to build these walls"
Whether or not the construction of a physical barrier will help to solve the issues surrounding illegal immigration is hotly contested from each side of the issue.
"Last year, in little-noticed Congressional testimony, FBI Director Robert Mueller revealed that 'individuals from countries with known al-Qaeda connections have attempted to enter the United States illegally using alien smuggling rings and assuming Hispanic appearances,'" according to the Minuteman Border Fence Web site. "There are fewer vehicles in the area where the fence is under construction-proving again that having a presence and taking positive steps to do SOMETHING to secure the border, reduces the flow of illegal aliens, potential terrorists, drug and human traffickers, murderers, rapists and thieves in these areas."
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