A $7 Billion Fence?

Posted: Thursday, September 14, 2006 3:53 PM by Elizabeth Wilner
Filed Under: Congress, Republicans

From NBC's Mike Viqueira
The House has voted to authorize the construction of 700 miles of fencing along the border with Mexico, NBC's Mike Viqueira reports. But that doesn't mean that the fence is necessarily going to be built. First, this bill simply "authorizes" the construction of the fence -- it doesn't pay for it. A fence will cost around $10 million per mile. That means this fence would cost around $7 billion. Congress plans to appropriate $1 billion for that purpose this year.

Second, the Senate has yet to act. And third, this can be seen in a political context: Back in December, the House passed the same measure in it's border security bill. Today they have "broken out" that provision and passed it separately. Expect House Republican leaders to soon begin outlining what other border security measures they plan to push through before the election.

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Comments

$10 million per mile.
Yeah, that sounds like our government.
I wonder which state/district has the fencing lobby.

Scott Carlson, Winona, Mn (Sent Thursday, September 14, 2006 5:04 PM)

I hope Congress doesn't vote to spend that mammoth amount of money on "The Great Wall of Mexico". It would be a monumental waste of taxpayer dollars!

New Orleans, the rest of Louisiana's storm-ravaged parishes, and Mississippi's coastal communities, in spite of the fact that private individuals and groups have been ably helping out, still need a "Marshall Plan" to fully recover in a timely manner from last year's storms. They have infrastructure problems (such as New Orleans' with water, electricity, etc.) and other things that were so badly damaged that only government would be able to handle them. It's too tall an order for cash-strapped communities to manage on their own.(And, everyone who's against government spending, what did the now-homeless residents of those states pay their federal income taxes, some for many years, for?)

Such money could also be better spent upgrading Louisiana's levees to Category 5 and restoring her lush, ecologically-precious coastal wetlands, which serve as "speed bumps" against storms' hitting New Orleans as well as nurseries for shrimp, fish, etc., and rest stops for migrating birds.

Any of these would be far more worthwhile then spending money on a border fence, which any Mexican (or anyone else) bound and determined to enter the United States without documents will figure out how to get around.

Olivia Elizabeth Burdon, Peoria, Ill. (Sent Thursday, September 14, 2006 5:19 PM)

Its much too late now,our great country has already been invaded!The wall should have been built decades ago,and the national gaurd placed on the borders long ago as well! THis is the richest country on earth,we have the money for a 2000 mile wall,disasters,wars,etc with plenty leftover!

John Doe, Seattle, Wash (Sent Thursday, September 14, 2006 6:43 PM)

10 million a mile for a FENCE!!! Wait a minute and I'll setup a company that will sub it out for 1M / mile and pocket the difference. Of course that company will sub it out for 100K/mile using mexican labor but theres plenty to go around. I missed my chance in Iraq and am determined not to this time

n Doe, Seattle, Wash (Sent Thursday, September 14, 2006 7:18 PM)

Something tells me that Haliburton is going to get this contract.

William, Charlotte, NC (Sent Thursday, September 14, 2006 7:31 PM)

Thats a pretty good price, a drop in the bucket compared to what we're spending on Iraq, and also a drop in the bucket for what the illegals cost us not only in a monetary form, but the thousands of lives lost to criminal aliens!! BUILD IT!! Its never too late!

james smith burbank,ca. (Sent Thursday, September 14, 2006 7:32 PM)

$7 billion dollars!!! Maybe the fence will control the border itself at that cost.I would like to know who comes up with these prices anyway? No wonder they don't see it as a big deal us paying over $3 a gallon for gas..

me me, freeland, PA (Sent Thursday, September 14, 2006 7:44 PM)

Only 7 billion? How much do we spend on medical care for all the illegal aliens? Put the fence up and then start rounding up all the illegal aliens and dump them and their kids back in Mexico. It took years for them to get here. It will take years to deport them, but, at least it's a start. As of now, we are doing nothing.

Tom Kemp , Beaumont, MS. (Sent Thursday, September 14, 2006 7:53 PM)

why bother spending 20 Billion on a fence? OPPS... forgot OUR government would never go over buget. Anyway traffic is so backed up on Interstate 35 you could walk up and check anyones documentation.

Jerry S.,Corinth, Texas (Sent Thursday, September 14, 2006 8:14 PM)

Well, the Berlin wall didnt work and this one wont either. I also hear theres a study to decide if we should put up a wall along the Canadian border..Nothing like putting up a nasty wall along what is still the longest undefended border in the world. Something the US and Canada have been proud of for decades. I guess the great free USA will wall itself off from the rest of the world...wont that look pretty?? Why dont we go further and wall off each state from the other..that'll keep child molesters from travelling from state to state, dead beat dads and "suspicious characters" from doing the same...Throughout history, walls have been put up by various countries and empires only to either come tumbling down or fail in their intent to contain or prevent movement of peoples.
The old statement: When people change how they live,associate with others,etc..the Terrorists have won!

Doug Blacklow, Ft Lauderdale, FL (Sent Thursday, September 14, 2006 8:15 PM)

I would like to have to have the specs on this fence
I believe I could save our tax payers a billion or so
depending on the specs .
concerned and willing.

Daniel Howell
Contractor

Daniel Howell Helotes Texas (Sent Thursday, September 14, 2006 8:15 PM)

THis is the richest country on earth,we have the money for a 2000 mile wall,disasters,wars,etc with plenty leftover!

John Doe, Seattle, Wash

Yeah? Why is the WTC still a hole in the ground?

Why is much of NOLA still a disaster area?

Why do so many Americans have to do without health care when, as Frist notes, Guantanamo inmates have better health care?
http://www.knoxnews.com/kns/politics/article/0,1406,KNS_356_4988286,00.html

More than ever before in this country, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

Interesting they only voted for the wall not to fund it. Goodness, do you think this might just be a pre-election ploy to garner votes? Nah, they would NEVER do that, would they?

On the other hand, maybe they have their no-bid contract all ready to go to their no oversight builder of choice. Now who on earth could that be?

Dee (Sent Thursday, September 14, 2006 8:27 PM)

Who needs a wall of any kind that can be tunneled under (BERLIN) or cut.
I know this is a sharp response but if we are worried about infiltrations over our borders then it should be shoot first and ask questions later.
After the first few bodies were noticed the normal border crossing would be reduced or even stopped and then we would only have to worry about the trully bad, "GUYS".
The illegals that are already here should be given 90 days to register and have a fine or paper fee of $2000.00 for the processing and registertion as a legal resident.After that time they should be considered as terrorist and not be given the normal legal options as a normal resident is given. We would then have a better tax base and they would then be allowed all their legal rights as residents.
education, health etc.
As for the employers that have illegals working for them VERY LARGE fines and not SLAPS on the wrist should be set up because they should be considered to be aiding terrorist in the US.

L Wickliff, Oplando,Fl. (Sent Thursday, September 14, 2006 8:30 PM)

I agree with John Doe of Seattle,Washington. However I believe our government should build such a fence to stretch the entire length of the Mexican border as it will only cost more to do it later(things always cost more when you put it off).
I believe and would go so far as to say that I know the newest and greatest illegal immigration threat comes from Russia and the former USSR countries! They come here masked as students but for many thousands of them every year the student status is just an illegal immigration ticket to this country.
How will the Republicans and Democrats deal with this very real problem? And how come the mass media never seems to mention it?

chris v, trenton,new jersey (Sent Thursday, September 14, 2006 8:38 PM)

Let me guess, it'll be a sealed-bid and Haliburton or one of its subsidiaries will be awarded the contract.....take care of our own first; get the Gulf Coast squared away so that they can once again become dependent on their own revenue sources.

jomo, midwest, OH (Sent Thursday, September 14, 2006 8:49 PM)

What the hell? A fence? 10 million dollars a mile? Its amazing how our states say there is no money for schools or for school spendings but yet "we" as Americans decide that 7 Billion is "ok" for a fence, good God what is this world coming to? Soon, our "elected officials" will want to make it illegal to be illegal...wait thats on the agenda. I am Mexican, and Im all for the USA. I will shoot and defend our colors the RED WHITE & BLUE to anyone trying to take away my freedom, but let us not forget, the highest majority are here for work, in every ethnic culture there are bad apples. Name me one Mexican that came here to blow somethin up? I can name a few white men that have done that here. As for them selling drugs..well simple...tell your kids quit buying them.

Tron Gauna, Adrian, Michigan (Sent Thursday, September 14, 2006 8:52 PM)

If we really want to stop illegal immigration, the most sensible solution would be to do the following:
1)devise a permiting system so that people who come here to work don't need to risk life or limb or give up their legal rights as human beings when they come.
2) The permits would expire after 3 years (or any other decided-on length of time). People would need to return to Mexico before getting a new permit.
3) Businesses that hired people with no permits or expired permits would receive massive fines.
4) People who are already in this country illegally should not get "amnesty" -- Regan did this in the 80's, and that led more people to believe that if they held out as illegal residents for long enough, they could eventually become legal. The result was an even larger population of illegal immigrants. The House's current bill does the opposite.
5) The U.S. should work harder to stimulate the Mexican economy, focusing especially on issues involving job growth and credit. This would be a long-term way to make gradual changes that would allow more Mexicans to stay in their own country (which many would prefer to do).

The House's current plan does none of these things. Building a fence is like building a big hole and dumping money into it -- illegal immigrants will find other ways to enter the country as long as they need to do so to feed their families. Studies show that tightened border security has actually led to a larger population of illegal immigrants, because fewer return to Mexico because they're afraid they won't be able to come back.

While the House plays on Americans' xenophobia and fears of terrorists, the corporations who fund these politicians are continuing to benefit from an ineffectual system that allows businesses to ignore workers' rights and get around minimum wage laws. He House is continuing to help our country's most unethical corporations and businesses by producing legislation that will result in a large pork barrell for some company while doing nothing to resolve the actual issues. The people who voted for this bill are doing a huge disservice to their constituents.

Suzie, Goleta, CA (Sent Thursday, September 14, 2006 8:54 PM)

man you people have to understand one thing. politics talk like *** from a baby. just vote for me. look at what i passed and look at the money i broguht in to this area for you the people. maybe one day the people will ask the goverment when will you spend my money porperly. oh hell thats like asking for rain in the artic circle.

ray lord penndel pa (Sent Thursday, September 14, 2006 9:11 PM)

Landmines would be much more effective and millions of dollars cheaper, with nowhere near the amount of maintenance a fence is going to require. This is OUR country and we have every right to secure our borders. Does anyone honestly think a fence is secure? I've never seen one.

Kevin Blake, Thatcher, AZ (Sent Thursday, September 14, 2006 9:13 PM)

They Gov't could hire the illegals to build it at a much reduced rate. Then just make sure they're all on the other side as it is finished.

E.Walsh, Stuart, FL (Sent Thursday, September 14, 2006 9:18 PM)

Has anyone done the math on this? 7 billion means that each foot of fence will cost $1893. I can put together a crew of illegal Mexican labour and do it for about $350. per foot, in concrete and brick! (joking of course, but not far from true.) $2k a foot is insane! That's $160 per inch of fence.

Derek Sutherland (Sent Thursday, September 14, 2006 9:31 PM)

IT'S NEVER TO LATE. LOCK IT DOWN, ROUND THEM UP, SHIP THEM OUT !!! THE MONEY YOU SAVE IN WELFARE, MEDICAL BENEFITS AND ALL THE OTHER PROGRAMS THAT BEING EXPLOITED WILL PAY FOR THIS WALL. IF THEY WANT BACK IN, FINE LEARN ENGLISH AND COME AND EARN YOUR PART OF THE AMERICAN DREAM.

WM. DRAGANOWSKI (Sent Thursday, September 14, 2006 9:32 PM)

A FENCE IS GOOD ONLY IF IS THE FIRST STEP OF MANY, TO STOP THE "INVASION" ASAP!!

BILL B., RESEDA, CA. (Sent Thursday, September 14, 2006 9:41 PM)

Well, it's a little late for a fence..they have already passed through :( The fence will only keep them IN now! Thank God for the minutemen and the national guard in protecting our borders. By the time they REALLY build the fence, just about every Tom Dick and Harry wull have already slipped in. The government wastes so much of our money. Unreal.

don doe (Sent Thursday, September 14, 2006 9:47 PM)

Seven billion seems a bit much for 700 miles! Now if it were going to span the whole 2000+ miles, I could go for that. Sewing up the entire border is the only way to curb the flow. Although it does not take care of the existing 5,6,7,000,000 we already have in country, some sort of barrier is needed between the two countries. I guess it is inevitable that one will be built, why not do it now? Lets not leave this matter for our children to deal with.

j.c. (Sent Thursday, September 14, 2006 10:28 PM)

Will this be too little too late or just what is needed? Either way i believe that it is at minimum a must have for this counrty. Do I beleive that 700 miles of fence along a 2000 mile long border will stop many illegal aliens from entering this country as they have for decades? Most likely no. However we as Americans have done nothing to slow this flood down.

Hopefully this can be a first step in slowing a flood down to a trickle. If that does not happen I don't believe the majority of Americans are willing to start talking about amnesty or citizenship for millions of people amoungst us whos first action in our country was to break ours laws by being here without our permission. Laws which our goverment has chossen not to enforce and which all of us have tolerated.

I personnally feel that this issue is one of my strongest drives for who gets my vote and whichever party will grab this issue and address it strongly will gain an edge over the other, which could prove to be profoundly important in the elections to come.

Of course they still have to agree to pay for the fence and like so may things in life to agree that something is a good idea on one hand and to pay the price for it on the other are two completley diffrent issues

Edward Snow, Cincinnati, OH (Sent Thursday, September 14, 2006 10:33 PM)

I am sure that msnbc will investigate the $10 million per mile estimate to determine the accuracy of that cost. You will, right? That cost seems excessive to me and unless we understand what that fence SHOULD cost, we don't know if the dollar amount is real, government bloating, or positioning by the opposition.

MM, Boulder, CO (Sent Thursday, September 14, 2006 10:54 PM)

Fences and walls won't work. We need to have laws penalizing the employers who hire illegal immigrants. Or gave them work permits and make them pay taxes. The immigrants will not come over when they can't find work.
That's the source of the problem that we need to deal with.

Joe (Sent Thursday, September 14, 2006 10:56 PM)

At $10 million dollars a mile would,nt you think it be cheaper just to let them in and have them pay a Tax? If a fence is erected too keep people out that means it will keep us IN. Just find out what it will be made of and buy into the companies Stock.

Border Bound (Sent Thursday, September 14, 2006 11:25 PM)

The cost of the fence is irrelevant. The amount saved by protecting Western Culture from the onslaught of the Third World invasion far exceeds the cost of construction. In all actuality, the fence should be a wall and should have been completed in the 1960s immediately after the ill-advised passage of the Immigration Act of 1965.

Billy Long, Clarksville, Indiana (Sent Thursday, September 14, 2006 11:37 PM)

This proposed fence will certainly be constructed with the help of undocumented workers-we as taxpayers certainly deserve a discount! The last contract on the border for approximately 200 million for cameras was awarded to a company with close ties to a congressman/representative from the area! According to a government report, the cameras worked about 25 per cent of the time! Thanks-G

G. Christian El Paso.Tx (Sent Friday, September 15, 2006 6:30 AM)

I find the fence idea totally laughable. First, if it gets funded, who do you think will get the contract? You get make book on it going some Republican crony or corporation tied to the Bushes or their friends. Second, even if the fence is built, do really think it is going to keep people from illegally coming into America. Now think, it is a fence, right? What's keeping the illegals from digging a tunnel under it? Nothing!

Martin Evans, Garden Grove, CA. (Sent Friday, September 15, 2006 6:38 AM)

The Democrats cannot do any worse than what we have already. The economy stinks, our rights have been and are being compromised,our reputation world wide has become nothing more than a joke. And yet our feeble minded leaders try to convince us that we are strong. Let them get out there and try to find a job. Let them try to pay for health insurance for a family. Let them try and live like the average joe and then the money spent on things like the border fence will seem excessive. Things have become so one-sided (rich) that I cannot afford to file for bankruptcy. Debtors prison, here I come!!!

c.v.hughes raleigh nc (Sent Friday, September 15, 2006 7:20 AM)

first 10 million mile can not be wright. But you have to stop leak first then you can get the illegals out,there is no better way to stop them. The Democrats do not want the fence,all they see more people for there welfare.

fred Grand Rapids Michigan (Sent Friday, September 15, 2006 10:18 AM)

It surprises me how racism can make people really stupid. $7 Billion on a wall?? If you take that money and added with $44 Billion (Total average amount to legalize all 11 million immigrants at $4,000 per applicant). Wouldn't that be enough money to get the REAL bad people in the middle east? They are the ones who want to destroy this beautiful country! We just come to work and make a better life out of it. Think people! Knowledge is the most powerful tool to protect you from being racist and ignorant.

Happy Face, Washington D.C (Sent Friday, September 15, 2006 11:05 AM)

The Junior High where my daughter attended some years ago has been "overrun" by children whose parents are mostly illegal aliens from south of the border. These children are having sex in the hallways of the school and nobody is doing anything about it for fear it will upset the "illegals". HORSE HOCKEY!
That 7billion dollar fence will do nothing about the illegals (which have no pride) to say nothing of stopping terrorists and dope peddlers crossing over to the USA.

Raindrops Kelly, Corpus Christi, Texas (Sent Friday, September 15, 2006 11:48 AM)

Elizabeth Wilmer(the author) has obviously got most of the people reading this DUPED. She doesn't say where Mike Viqueira got his number from and the cost he is reporting is pretty suspicious, pretty certain it is from the Democrats that voted against the fence.
I think she is really just trying to get everyone against a fence by throwing out a phony absurd number. It is a tactic to discredit the idea of even having a fence. You will have to ask her why? but she probably supports "open borders"
A fence is a good idea and yes it will help stop illegal immigrants, but there is a lot more our congress needs to do like interior enforcement, employment verification, no benefits or licenses for illegals, no tuition breaks for illegals, go after the employers that hire illegals.
This all needs to be done before we start handing out amnesty rewards to illegals.
Elizabeth and MSNBC take your mask off and show us your true intentions.

Sun-lite, Boston, MA (Sent Friday, September 15, 2006 12:42 PM)

The President mentioned in his press conference today that Congress had appropriated millions of dollars toward immigration reform. He stated that Congress recently asked if the money was being spent, and if so, how?

Since when does Congress appropriate money and not have oversight on how its spent? Where's the GAO in all of this?

How many millions or billions of dollars has Bush asked for, received, and not been accountable for?

Eric Klein, Studio City, CA (Sent Friday, September 15, 2006 1:23 PM)

It seems to me that the majority of the people who are complaining about the cost of this fence on this thread have no concept of what a barricade is. When they hear the word "fence" they think of the flimsy chain-link fencing around their kids' Little League park. Most of the specifications I've seen for a "fence" are actually very elaborate, multi-layered barricade systems which actually can keep out a majority of people trying to gain entry. The one I've seen call for two to three reinforced concrete walls, with 20 foot buffer zones in between each wall. These walls extend 15 feet high, as well as 10 feet below ground to prevent people from "tunneling" and have concertina wire, surveillance cameras and many other sensors. The price seeems fair, considering the engineering involved. I agree that no fence will keep out everybody, but you have to have a deterrant, otherwise, terrorists WILL use the southern border to gain entry into the US. Illegal immigration is putting a huge drain on the resources of this country. Every other country in the world protects its borders. We should start doing the same.

Grill Sergeant, Lexington, KY (Sent Friday, September 15, 2006 1:44 PM)

If the money to build the fence was used instead in creative ways to boost the Mexican economy and increase wages, their wouldn't be people trying to enter the US illegally. The US could supplement wages in Mexico until they reached 80% of US rates for the same work. It might work because boath sides would win.

John Gerber, Gainesville, FL (Sent Friday, September 15, 2006 9:46 PM)

when rome built the wall across england it worked very well keeping the northern tribes out of the south a fence on our borders would work much like hadrians wall did 1800 years ago it would be a start much needed today.

roger brown terre haute,in (Sent Friday, September 15, 2006 10:00 PM)

The ancient Roman Army could have built it a lot better and under budget I'm sure...the modern Italian Army would probably forget what they are supposed to be doing, and take long wine breaks.

We should have a fence...but if our government blows the costs up on the thing...we should then line officals up against it and shoot them. Ooops can't shoot into Mexico...that wouldn't be friendly to our good neighbors the Mexicans.

For you Haliburton critics out there...I'm sure they could do it well under budget and well ahead of schedule...any of you who think old HAL doesn't do a great job, doesn't know much. I know all of you people with sinister thoughts of them doesn't know much about how good a company it is. They play the system well...doesn't make them evil. Some of the juiciest contracts go them them because they are the most able...they can get top-dollar for being the only ones in the game who can compete.

Even government auditors and critics have been forced to admit repeatedly, that in most cases, Haliburton or their divisions, were the only company able to complete some contracts...or even compete based on government requirements.

Personally, I think instead of a wall, we should have a line of sensor-controlled, automated, machine guns to control that damn border...would be lots of dead lizards and rabbits, but ya wouldn't find many people trying to cross illegally after the first week...

I am joking of course...but it would probably work well!

D Baca (Sent Saturday, September 16, 2006 10:09 PM)

I agree with John Gerber, that we should instead make Mexico such an economic engine that the poor there have access to jobs that would pay them as well as if they came here, after all, they end up in mostly minimum wage jobs here to start with. But I would take that an important step farther; we need to make sure that all imports coming into our country are produced by workers earning at least our Federal minimum wage. This should be mandatory for american companies overseas, that they pay the exact same amount to workers there, including benefits, that they are required to pay americans for the same jobs. This would have several affects, such as improving the economies in other countries, keeping more jobs here at home, as well as curbing the flow of illegal immigrants. American foreign policies and big bussinesses have for many, many decades have screwwed these people over and raped their nations economies just so that they could reap huge profits off the backs of foreign laborers and the natural resources of their lands. Is it any wonder that these people are trying to find a better place to live and work? 7 billion for a fence?? How about 7 billion worth of Honest nation building??

B. Honest, Portland Oregon (Sent Monday, September 18, 2006 1:01 PM)

10,000,000 dollars for a fence??? are they mad??Thats approx. 1894 dollars a foot, or 157 dollars an INCH, what a waste of tax payers hard earned money.

walter johnson (Sent Tuesday, September 19, 2006 11:28 AM)

a fence is not needed, all we have to do is have our government close and sale any company,liquidate assets of individuals that employs any illegals and use that money to fund research for new alternative fuels for our nation and free us from gas dependance from the near and far east. with no jobs they will go back to mexico

j roppe alma georgia 31510 (Sent Tuesday, September 19, 2006 1:35 PM)

Modern technology , satellites , drones , helicopter gun ships, . IF IN THE EARLY SEVENTY'S they could catch my friend and I taking pictures twenty feet inside a barbed wire fence on sandia missile range of each other on a scenic backdrop of sand dunes within five minutes of entry...!!!
Knowing that we were human and not just an animal.!!! The greeting we recieved was awakening to say the least when the gunship came upon us. This is thirty plus years later . satellites and technological advances would be a much more viable solution..!!

A F Kaluza (Sent Tuesday, September 19, 2006 8:26 PM)

Why build a wall? In two years, when the baby boomers start to retire, we will need a lot more immigrants than we have now. The money would be better spent on rebuilding the Katrina-devastated area. Terrorists don't come from Mexico. They come from Saudi Arabia, yet the Saudis don't even need a visa to come here. Can we distinguish between friends and enemies?

Carlos Vidaurri, New Castle, Colorado (Sent Wednesday, September 20, 2006 1:10 AM)

Hook 440 to the new fence. Electric fences stop animals so why not stop the illegals with one. That'll stop them!

Joe Buehrle St. Charles, Missouri (Sent Sunday, September 24, 2006 11:51 AM)

ok heres how you pat for this fence 1st take all the immagrants that are registered and allow them the honor of paying taxes like the rest of us 2nd you get the know unregistered i.e.... the welfare system and give them again the same honors we have work or look for work or get nothing sorry and finally anyone who is not willing to comply to these first two rules ........ build the fence from the mexico side

danny c anderson, s.c. (Sent Sunday, September 24, 2006 1:40 PM)

Yes, by all means, build the fence and electrify it for more deterrence. We can bring in whoever we need to, when we need to, in order to solve spot labor shortages. No point in just being overrun in such a casual manner.

Doug Lominac (Sent Sunday, September 24, 2006 10:31 PM)

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