Court rejects case on fast track for border fence

[FrankRizzoXD40]

Court rejects case on fast track for border fence
By EILEEN SULLIVAN, Associated Press Writer 27 minutes ago



The Supreme Court on Monday turned down a plea by environmental groups to rein in the Bush administration's power to waive laws and regulations to speed construction of a fence along the U.S.-Mexican border.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff has used authority given to him by Congress in 2005 to ignore environmental and other laws and regulations to move forward with hundreds of miles of fencing in Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas.

The case rejected by the court involved a two-mile section of fence in the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area near Naco, Ariz. The section has since been built.

As of June, 13, 331 miles of fencing have been constructed in California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.

"I am extremely disappointed in the court's decision," Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., said. "This waiver will only prolong the department from addressing the real issue: their lack of a comprehensive border security plan."

Thompson chairs the House Homeland Security Committee. He and 13 other House democrats — including six other committee chairs — filed a brief in support of the environmentalists' appeal.

Russ Knocke, a spokesman for the Homeland Security Department, said, "The American people expect this department to enforce the rule of law at the border. He added that the department is happy with the court's decision.

"As fence construction proceeds," Knocke said, "the department will continue to be a good steward of the environment, and consult with appropriate state, local, and tribal officials."

The concept of a border fence took on new life after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, which revived the heated immigration debate.

Intelligence officials have said the holes along the southwest border could provide places for terrorists to enter the country.

Congress failed to pass comprehensive immigration reform when it had the chance in 2007.

Thompson said, "Without a comprehensive plan, this fence is just another quick fix."

Earlier this year, Chertoff waived more than 30 laws and regulations in an effort to finish building 670 miles of fence along the southwest border.

Administration officials have said that invoking the legal waivers — which Congress authorized in 1996 and 2005 laws — will cut through bureaucratic red tape and sidestep environmental laws that currently stand in the way of fence construction.

Environmentalists have said the fence puts already endangered species such as two types of wild cats — the ocelot and the jaguarundi — in even more danger. The fence would prevent them from swimming across the Rio Grande to mate.

(This version CORRECTS Corrects spelling of Knocke's name. )

+100 to the Supreme Court here. I'm glad the greenie's lost this one...

The best line of the article:

Russ Knocke, a spokesman for the Homeland Security Department, said, "The American people expect this department to enforce the rule of law at the border.

Finally the Bush administration isn't giving in when it comes to securing the border. Chertoff and others have been steamrolling right along with this fence. It said that they have actually already completed the part that was in dispute!

If we can just get amnesty off the table for good as well we would be all set.

Frank

[KEVWYO]

"Congress failed to pass comprehensive immigration reform when it had the chance in 2007.

Thompson said, "Without a comprehensive plan, this fence is just another quick fix."


I just simply can not wrap my mind around the idea of people supporting illegal immigration. It simply astounds me. On the one hand, don't build a fence because it's a "quick fix" and on the other they won't support the type of comprehensive legislation required to stem the flow of illegals. Just goes to show you they are oppossed to any measures that would stop illegal immigration.

[Brickboy240]

Thats because many of the left's (and the open borders people) arguments are not based on logic...they are based on emotion only.

If you're a logic-driven person (like me) its hard to understand these people and their destructive wishes. Its as if they live in another world and speak another language. Don't try to make sense of those people...they really don't make good sense, when you boil it down.

Try to use a logical standpoint with one of these people sometimes...they'll look at you quizzically...like your dog, when he hears a strange sound. They have no idea or response for where you're coming from if you use common sense or logic in your argument with the left/open borders people. You're speaking one language and they're speaking another.

Also, many of these types don't see the world as it really is...but how they WANT it to be. This also creates their distorted and unrealsitic world view and makes it even harder to argue with these types. Facts rarely mean a thing to these people - no matter how many or how you present them.

Now, knowing this....does it become more clear HOW there are people out there that support such a crazy thing as no border security or immigration laws?

- Brickboy240

[DanTheEldest]

Good to see. Granted, we need to attack the problem from a number of fronts, but IMO a border wall/fence is a no-brainer. For example:

Without the wall:

Jose, Maria, and Mohammed walk to the border line.....and keep on walking, meeting a coyote on the U.S. side who drives them into downtown Phoenix, where they proceed to become entitlement sponges.

With the wall:

Jose, Maria, and Mohammed walk to the border line......[thud thump thud]....."Dangit!" (or Spanish/Arabic equivalent).

Even if tunnels are eventually built or sections vandalized enough to allow passage, a physical barrier is a common-sense place to start.

[gsx1138]

The fence is nothing more than feel good legislation. It does nothing to stop or slow illegal immigration. Not only that it's more dangerous to Americans because it encourages that Communist trait of 'Imminent Domain'.

Here's your fence.

YouTube - P&T Bull**** Immigration Pt 1

[PackerfanXD]

+1000 for SCOTUS!

[FrankRizzoXD40]

Originally Posted by gsx1138

The fence is nothing more than feel good legislation. It does nothing to stop or slow illegal immigration.

How does a fence that prevents most people from crossing the border "do nothing to stop or slow illegal immigration"

Sure, some will get through, but it would be hard to argue that it won't help slow it down.

We for sure need more than a damned fence, but the way our government is going and with all the turncoat republicans out there, I for one am surprised that the fence is even happening. We should all be glad about this and push for more restrictions, the severe punishment of any companies who hire illegals, cutting off all handouts to illegals, etc.

If we cut off the reasons that they come here, they will probably stop coming.

Frank

[DanTheEldest]

Originally Posted by gsx1138

The fence is nothing more than feel good legislation. It does nothing to stop or slow illegal immigration. Not only that it's more dangerous to Americans because it encourages that Communist trait of 'Imminent Domain'.

Brother, I've lived in Arizona so long I can tell you with a pretty good non-scientific, completely anecdotal knowledge of the issue that the majority of private property owners down along the border are so sick of the constant trash, litter, vandalism, property damage, and the occasional rape or murder the "undocumenteds" leave behind they'd be happy to give up a small swath of ground to make the masses take a detour.

As I said before, immigration enforcement needs to be pushed on a large number of fronts, but I fail to see how a big-*** wall in the way isn't a reasonably effective detour device as a first line of defense.

[gsx1138]

Punishing companies that hire them is far more effective. At the most a fence will take them an extra 10 minutes to get through the border. And considering most have traveled in the sweltering heat for god knows how long a fence isn't going to deter them.

That said, border patrol should not be required to back down from coyote's or mexican military. I think if we start putting rounds downrange that would probably help more than a fence also.

[AZXD]

So you do support the next step ?? I.E. shooting those who attempt to enter this country illegally. Climbing a fence, burrowing under it, or any other method would slow the target.

We can still punish employers who hire illegals, and in some places this already occurs.

Deterrency needs to occur at many levels.

Originally Posted by gsx1138

Punishing companies that hire them is far more effective. At the most a fence will take them an extra 10 minutes to get through the border. And considering most have traveled in the sweltering heat for god knows how long a fence isn't going to deter them.

That said, border patrol should not be required to back down from coyote's or mexican military. I think if we start putting rounds downrange that would probably help more than a fence also.