Michael Chertoff, head of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) says, "Come Hell or High Water! I´m Building the Fence before the end of this year!" Never mind if the fence crosses college campuses, private property, sacred Native American sites or dividing livestock - resulting in chaos for the property owners and the community. He says he is building it whether it makes sense or not.The US Department of Homeland Security is racing to meet a December 31 deadline to raise 670 miles of steel fences and vehicle barriers along the 3,200 kilometer (2,000 mile) long southern border. About half has been completed, including this six kilometer (four mile) segment at New Mexico's Santa Teresa Port of Entry.
But DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff faces a flurry of lawsuits by environmentalists and border communities that could stop construction cold. To meet his deadline, Chertoff is using sweeping authority Congress granted in 2005 to waive 36 federal laws protecting water, air quality, endangered animals, and native American sites. The fence "is a political initiative meant to satisfy conservatives in Congress who have played to fears about all immigrants being terrorists, criminals, and living off the dole," El Paso County Attorney Jose Rodriguez fumed. The El Paso lawsuit argues that Chertoff's authority to waive federal law is unconstitutional. Dozens of groups have joined the suit, including the Tigua Indian tribe, which for centuries has held religious ceremonies on the banks of the Rio Grande, which marks the border between Texas and Mexico.
In El Paso, Chertoff's waiver overrides local rules on managing land use, air quality, and river water. "We have no idea to what extent we can enforce our own (US City) laws," said Rodriguez.
But DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff faces a flurry of lawsuits by environmentalists and border communities that could stop construction cold. To meet his deadline, Chertoff is using sweeping authority Congress granted in 2005 to waive 36 federal laws protecting water, air quality, endangered animals, and native American sites. The fence "is a political initiative meant to satisfy conservatives in Congress who have played to fears about all immigrants being terrorists, criminals, and living off the dole," El Paso County Attorney Jose Rodriguez fumed. The El Paso lawsuit argues that Chertoff's authority to waive federal law is unconstitutional. Dozens of groups have joined the suit, including the Tigua Indian tribe, which for centuries has held religious ceremonies on the banks of the Rio Grande, which marks the border between Texas and Mexico.
In El Paso, Chertoff's waiver overrides local rules on managing land use, air quality, and river water. "We have no idea to what extent we can enforce our own (US City) laws," said Rodriguez.
Chertoff's biggest obstacle will be clearing out all the mountains of trash left behind by the immigrants so he can put up the fence in place of it.
ReplyDeleteA report issued by a high-ranking member of the Environmental Protection Agency's regional office highlights serious concerns about the construction of a border fence in the Rio Grande Valley.
ReplyDeleteIn the report the federal government has not considered several enviornmental concerns in the construction of the fence.
The report highlights concerns such as fence heating, the effects on soil and the impact on migratory species.
The EPA is not the only group speaking out about the border fence.
A coalition of Valley and other environmental groups have filed a federal lawsuit to stop the fence.
Officials from the University of Texas at Brownsville - Texas Southmost College are fighting to keep the fence from dividing their campus.
An unedited copy of the report is available here:
http://www.kgbt4.com/files/EPABorderFence.pdf
Dianne, You read too many articles by the San Diego MMs and ANTI sites. Additionally, the article was based from El Paso.
ReplyDeleteso dee your only concern is the environment?
ReplyDeleteUT@B has already compromised with DHS. The fence was increasing the height of an existing fence along the golf course, so nothing was being divided. It would have raised the fence from 10-feet it is now to 18-feet, instead Brownsville will be installing camera systems and various other deterrents. Get up to date Dee, you are weeks behind.
ReplyDeleteGosh Liquid, I am up to date. This article came out this morning. (try clicking the links)
ReplyDeleteActually, there are still many pending lawsuits.
Lou, Welcome to my blog.
ReplyDeleteBoth sides enjoy civil debate on all Immigration Issues.
Actually, being a Texas native, I am concerned about the issues TX residents have about their property issues as well as the environmental issues. Chertoff is steamrolling this due to his agenda to complete this project before end of year no matter what the impact to the local residents, the envirnoment or humanity.
dee, so if there were no environmental issues or property issues, you would have no problem with a fence whose sole purpose would be to keep out illegals from coming into the U.S.?
ReplyDeleteLou, You paint a number of IFs into your question. It reminds me of the old Kermit the Frog "Rainbow Connection" song.
ReplyDelete"Who said that every wish
Would be heard and answered
When wished on the morning star
Somebody thought of that
And someone believed it
And look what it's done so far
What's so amazing
That keeps us star gazing
What so we think we might see
Someday we'll find it
That Rainbow Connection
The lovers the dreamers and ME!!"
If the world were a perfect place with Rainbow Connections, there would be no need for fences.
ReplyDeletewhat a weird answer to a staight
ReplyDeleteforward question. if the fence did not affect the environment or have any property issues and was built to keep out people (illegals including any terrorists)would you have a problem with that?
lou, dee is just using the environment and personal property isssues to cloak her true agenda and that it that she knows that building the fense will be a huge deterrant to illegal entry into our country and she doesn't want that.
ReplyDeleteThe pro illegals always use the environment and personal property as an excuse to not have the fence built when we know their objection in reality is that it will be a huge deterrant to illegal entry into our country. It will hinder the hispanization of our country. Of course their excuse about the environment goes out the window when the facts about all the garbage being left by illegal aliens in our deserts and near the border while they are trying to enter our country illegally. They have no concern then.
ReplyDeleteThe pro-illegals just use the environment and personal property rights as an excuse to not build the fence because they want their illegal amigos to continue to come here unhindered. They fool no one!
ReplyDeleteWhen the illegals leave tons of trash in our deserts and on our border, all of a sudden the environment is of no concern to them
hey, why did you delete my question dee?
ReplyDeleteThe pro illegals don't want the fence because it would deter illegal entry into our country. The objection to it based on the environment or personal property rights is all smoke and mirrors. If they were truly concerned about the environment they would be outraged at the tons of trash left behind in our deserts and on the border by illegal aliens trying to enter our country.
ReplyDeleteSo what if the scenario is hypothetical? Why not just answer the question that lou posed?
ReplyDeleteThe pro illegals don't want the fence because it would deter illegal immigration. Their objection based on the environment or personal property rights is nothing but smoke and mirrors to hide their real agenda. If they were so concered about the environment they would be outraged at the tons of trash polluting our environment in our deserts by illegal aliens trying to cross.
ReplyDeletelou, the pro-illegals don't want the fence because it would diminish greatly illegal entry into our country. Their arguments about the environment and personal property rights is all smoke and mirrors to cover their true agenda.
ReplyDeletePat, You are wrong as usual.
ReplyDeleteLou, If the world were a perfect place, there would be no need for fences anywhere.
If Big Business didnt entice workers to come here by giving them jobs then they would not come here.
If the Global Economy did not wreck the economies of certain countries or if many countries did not have corrupt politicians, then perhaps other countries would be wealthy and the poor would not want to ever leave.
I would like this to be a perfect world, and take ALL the IFs out of the equation. However we do not have a perfect world.
The facts are there are environment issues, property issues, humanity issues. To take them out of the equation is not reality.
Lou,
ReplyDeleteI suspect you are much like the farmer in the Frost poem "Mending Wall." To you, "Good Fences Make Good Neighbors."
Pat, You are wrong.
ReplyDeleteWhat Question Lou. I did not delete any. I am trying to post now and mine didnt show up. Let me try again and you try again.
ReplyDeletedee, since we don't live in a perfect world that is precisely why we need the fence. And no, I am not wrong in my evaluation of you and the rest of the pro's as to what the real reason is that you object to it. You are just using the environment and property rights as an excuse not to build it so that illegal immigration will continue. If we are blown to kingdom come by a terrorist entering thru our borders the environment nor anyone's property won't even exist anymore.
ReplyDeleteWhat about the tons of trash being left in our deserts and on our borders by illegal aliens coming here? Guess the environment can just go suck eggs on that one, right?
That is the reason we need the fence. We don't live in a perfect world where everyone abides by our laws and terrorism is also a real threat. Why not answer lou's hypothetical question? The fact that you didn't proves what I said is true. You and the rest of the pro's are just using the environment and personal property rights as a phoney excuse not to build the fence. We know your true agenda. As I also asked, why no outrage over the tons of trash left in our deserts by illegal aliens trying to cross that damage our environment? I won't hold my breath for an answer.
ReplyDeleteI found out what happened to the posts from yesterday afternoon. Eblogger was down for a few minutes. I know a number of us were trying to post at that time.
ReplyDeleteJust as an fyi, they are doing it again today at 6pm PT but just for 10 mins. See alert below:
Blogger Status
Friday, August 08, 2008
Blogger will be unavailable Friday (8/8) at 4:00PM PDT for about 10 minutes for maintenance.
Posted by Prashant at 11:12 PDT
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
Blogger will be unavailable Wednesday (8/6) at 6:00PM PDT for about 10 minutes for maintenance.
Update: This is now complete. Thanks for your patience.
Posted by Jessica at 17:43 PDT
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