Tuesday, January 18, 2011

$1billion 'virtual fence' to keep Mexican immigrants and smugglers out of the US scrapped for being too expensive

The controversial 'virtual fence' on the US border with Mexico has been scrapped after the project was dogged by technical problems, financial over-runs and schedule delays.

The Secure Border Initiative-network (SBInet)- a high-tech surveillance system of video cameras, radar, sensors and other technologies designed to catch illegal immigrants and smugglers trying to cross the border - has been cancelled by the Obama administration.

Signs for the US border in Tijuana, in the Mexican state of Baja California

Crossing the line: Signs for the US border in Tijuana, in the Mexican state of Baja California

The fence, which covers just 53 miles in two regions of Arizona of the 2,000-mile border, has cost taxpayers nearly $1billion dollars since its inception in 2005, according to a homeland security report.

Janet Napolitano, US Homeland Security Secretary, cited the project's high cost and persistent technical problems as among the reasons behind the decision...

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2 girls undermine entire US border strategy in under 18 seconds



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHjKBjM1ngw

roypgermano | December 16, 2010

http://www.TheOtherSideOfImmigration.com Since the mid-1990s, the US has built fencing at various points along the southern border in an attempt to deter would-be immigrants from Mexico. Building the fence isn't cheap. On average, each mile of border fence costs US taxpayers about $4 million to build and will cost another $6.5 billion over the next 20 years to repair and maintain.

Are we getting our money's worth? Is the border fence an effective deterrent? To find out, I asked two young women—both only about 5'5"—to see if they could climb the wall. Check it out...

If we're really serious about reducing rates of undocumented immigration, we could make more effective use of our tax dollars. Those of you who have seen my documentary, The Other Side of Immigration, might remember this statement from the end of the film: "Why spend money on a border fence when we could invest in highways, factories, and greenhouses. How many greenhouses could we build for the cost of that wall? If we invest in Mexico, people won't want to leave."

What do you think? Would spending a dollar to reduce poverty in Mexico be a more effective way to reduce undocumented immigration than spending a dollar to build more fencing along the border?

Monday, January 17, 2011

Illegal immigrants charged in sex assault in Clinton

CLINTON - Two illegal immigrants have been charged with providing a teenage girl with alcohol and then sexually assaulting her.

Patrico William Matute, 36, of Clinton and Carlos Celi 29, of Guilford, were arrested by Clinton police and members of the U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The arrests stem from a four-month investigation in which a 19-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted in Clinton...

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To House GOP, illegal immigration is jobs issue

With Republicans now in control of the House Judiciary Committee, Attorney General Eric Holder and other Justice Department officials are going to be answering a lot of questions in the next two years. “We’re going to start fast,” promises Rep. Lamar Smith, new chairman of the committee, as he lists a bunch of priorities: immigration, national security, the constitutionality of Obamacare, lawsuit abuse, intellectual property and more.

There are many areas in which Republicans and Holder are likely to disagree, but the most contentious could be immigration, starting with the enforcement of federal laws to prevent the employment of illegal immigrants. Ask Smith what he’ll be investigating, and it’s the first thing he mentions. “One initial hearing will be on work-site enforcement,” he says. “We want to find out why the administration is not doing more to enforce current laws. Workplace enforcement has dropped 70 percent under the Obama administration.”...

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New Mexico’s governor plans to revoke licenses issued to illegal aliens

new mexico governor susana martinez

SANTA FE, N.M. – New Mexico’s newly elected Gov. Susana Martinez has come out swinging with a budget proposal that would cut spending and close the budget deficit without raising taxes or making cuts to classroom spending or health care for New Mexico’s most vulnerable.

Martinez also stated one of her first priorities is to revoke driver licenses issued to illegal aliens, pointing out since Arizona passed SB 1070, illegal aliens have been pouring in to New Mexico, which does not require proof of citizenship to obtain licenses...

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Making it safer for illegals to enter California

It is illegal to enter the United States without going through the proper channels.

And it is the right of sovereign nations to protect their borders.

So how come a local government agency is undermining both the legal immigration process and the security of our borders by reducing the risk to those who want to break this nation’s laws and enter this country illegally?

The short answer is they don’t like bad publicity directed at them by “60 Minutes” which is apparently a higher authority on securing our borders than the federal government...

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Bill would allow immigrant high school graduates to apply for citizenship

One Democratic representative introduced legislation on Friday that would begin President Barack Obama’s commitment to push forward with comprehensive immigration reform.

San Bernardino County Democratic Rep. Joe Baca of Rialto introduced the People Resolved to Obtain an Understanding of Democracy Act, which would amend the Nationality Act to allow exemplary non-citizen high school graduates to apply for citizenship. Under the PROUD Act, graduates would need to provide the necessary academic transcripts; show an understanding of United States history, government and civics; and prove they are of good moral character...

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Long Beach gang member arrested in three cold-case murders

A Long Beach gang member newly released from prison in New York has been arrested by Long Beach police in connection with the murders of three people in 2001 and 2002, authorities said Friday.

Juan Pablo Camacho, 33, a Mexican immigrant, was arrested Dec. 29 in Plattsburgh, N.Y., by Long Beach police investigating the three cold-case murders. He was being held in New York, awaiting deportation to Mexico after serving a prison term on weapons and illegal immigration charges...

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