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

HAHAHAHA.....SPEND WHAT YOU WILL, YOU WILL NEVER STOP ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION, DRUG TRAFFIC OR UNDERAGE DRINKING, I LAUGH IN THE FACE OF ANYONE THAT SUPPORTS THIS

Luis Tello, Norristown, Pennsylvnia (Sent Sunday, October 01, 2006 2:34 AM)

ALSO AS FAR AS MAKING ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION A FELONY...IT COSTS $15,000 OF TAX PAYERS MONEY A YEAR TO SUPPORT SOMEBODY IN PRISON...SO IS BUILDING A $7 BILLION FENCE SAVING YOU ANY MONEY? THE ANSWER IS NO, NOT IN THE SHORT RUN, AND NOT IN THE LONG RUN.

Luis Tello, Norristown, Pennsylvnia (Sent Sunday, October 01, 2006 2:40 AM)

Well well well, finally got tired of those ilegal immigrants, yes let´s build a fence and increase the national defecit even more. Let´s broadcast live feed from the border on the internet and make it a national duty to watch and call the border patrols when we see ilegals crossing. Sound ridiculous, well it is. As long as Mexico remains a third world economy, this problem will NEVER stop. Remember people risk dying by coming ilegally to the United States, so do you think a fence will stop them?? I bet you it would be cheaper if the United States tried to stimulate Mexico´s economy, thus creating more jobs so there wouldn´t be a need to work in the United States. Ask the Mexican imigrants, legal or ilegal, where they would rather be in the U.S. or Mexico, the majority of answers will shock you. Mexican people are entering the United States ilegally because they are tired and desperate. Try living on 75 dollars a week.

Jorge Oropeza, San Francisco, Calif (Sent Saturday, October 14, 2006 3:43 PM)

43 BILLION dollars is what the Illegal Mexican immigrants are sending home to Mexico from the US. 43 BILLION!!! I think that might buy one hell of a fence!

Julie, Maryland (Sent Friday, October 20, 2006 12:36 PM)

i dont think they should

philip sikeston,missouri (Sent Thursday, November 16, 2006 12:22 PM)

All I really want to Know is Approximately how tall is the 700 mile fence supposed to be? Also Julie after building the fence do you really think that the illegal immigrants are going to stop sending money home to Mexico. So we will still be loseing 43 billion dollars on top of the 7 billion dollars it cost to pay for a pointless fence. That isn't even going to be as long as the boarder. I also feel that the people that are illegal here are here for a really good reason. Also most of the illegal immigrants got in America by getting temporary visa's and then never left.

Jamie , OR (Sent Thursday, December 07, 2006 1:19 PM)

There are roughly 20 million illegals in the U.S. If you follow statistics 50% of all illegals are on some type of government assistance. If you take the lowest possible, food stamps, or WICK lets estimate it at $200/month. Multiply that by 10 million, and you're talking a MINIMUM of $2 billion/month. That doesn't include additional medical and housing assistance costs which would probably increase the number by 5X/month. This is money that we worked hard to accrue, yet can't get. I say the fence will pay for itself in saved monies in no time.

Ron, CA (Sent Monday, December 25, 2006 10:21 PM)

Even if we build a fence they would find a way over somehow! it isn't fair at all! they just want to live their life in America! They get paid minimum wage! they can learn to live the way we live! I say we should give them a chance!We should not waste our time and money on a stupid little wall that they will find a way over anyway!

Erika Cashion (Sent Tuesday, January 09, 2007 10:22 AM)

Bush is going over the edge on all of this mess! This is just a waste of time and MONEY! 7 billion dollars, come on! we should spend our money on something more important! The mexicans are going to find a way a round the wall anyway!If Bush has checked, hardly any of our state are ready for a terrist attack! Use our money for our SAFTY! No one needs another problem in America. Mexiacns just want to live their life in America. I think we should give them a chance. They just want to get money like all of the rest of us! They get paid minimum wege! They have a hard life and i think we should just leave this all alone!

Erika Cashion Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina (Sent Tuesday, January 09, 2007 7:11 PM)

that is a behymoth amount of money says robin jokerty

robin jokerty (Sent Thursday, February 01, 2007 10:27 AM)

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