August 3, 2006
Senators Chafee and Reed Vote to Fund Southern Border Fencing
Senators Lincoln Chafee and Jack Reed have both reversed their positions from a month ago and voted “to appropriate $1,829,100,000 for the Army National Guard for the construction of 370 miles of triple-layered fencing, and 461 miles of vehicle barriers along the southwest border” of the United States. The vote was 94-3 in favor.
Interestingly, Senator Reed voted to fund the fencing despite being one of just 16 Senators to vote against its construction back in May. Could this be a sign that there's some sort of major immigration deal being negotiated in the background?
Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska was one of the 3 Senators to vote against funding the fencing, bringing his never-very-promising Presidential aspirations to a final end.
This is good but is almost secondary.
Fences can be dug under or damaged. People are endangering their lives to come here illegally for a reason. For their sake and ours, we need to eliminate those reasons: jobs and social services. Enforcement on employers who hire undocumented immigrants, which inexplicably dropped off in the late 1990's, needs to recommence. And California alone has spent a billion dollars on social services for undocumented immigrants.
Walk in the front door, apply for a legal job, follow our ALREADY WELL DEFINED "path to citizenship" and you will be welcomed here.
Posted by: SusanD at August 3, 2006 4:42 PM