WASHINGTON, April 1, 2008

Bush To Use Waivers To Finish Border Fence

Administration To Sidestep 30 Laws And Regulations To Battle Illegal Immigration

  • A zig-zagging second fence, center, runs parallel to the orginal border fence, right, along the U.S./Mexico border in San Diego, in a Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2003 file photo. Federal officials said Tuesday, April 1, 2008, that the Bush administration will bypass more than 30 laws and regulations in an effort to complete 670 miles of fence along the southwest U.S. border by the end of this year. Photo

    A zig-zagging second fence, center, runs parallel to the orginal border fence, right, along the U.S./Mexico border in San Diego, in a Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2003 file photo. Federal officials said Tuesday, April 1, 2008, that the Bush administration will bypass more than 30 laws and regulations in an effort to complete 670 miles of fence along the southwest U.S. border by the end of this year.  (AP Photo/Denis Poroy, File)

  • Photo Essay Border Insecurity

    The slow, sensitive path to tighter security along America's borders.

(CBS/AP)  The Bush administration plans to use its authority to bypass more than 30 laws and regulations in an effort to finish building 670 miles of fence along the southwest U.S. border by the end of this year, federal officials said Tuesday.

Invoking the two legal waivers - which Congress authorized - would cut through bureaucratic red tape and sidestep environmental laws that currently stand in the way of the Homeland Security Department building 267 miles of fencing in California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, according to officials familiar with the plan. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the waivers had not yet been announced.

The move would be the biggest use of legal waivers since the administration started building the fence, and it would cover a total of 470 miles along the Southwest border. Previously, the department has used its waiver authority for two portions of fence in Arizona and one portion in San Diego.

As of March 17, there were 309 miles of fencing in place, leaving 361 to be completed by the end of the year to meet the department's goal. Of those, 267 miles are being held up by federal, state and local laws and regulations, the officials said.

One waiver would address the construction of a 22-mile levee barrier in Hidalgo County, Texas. The other waiver would cover 30 miles of fencing and technology deployment on environmentally sensitive ground in San Diego, southern Arizona and the Rio Grande; and 215 miles in California, Arizona and Texas that face other legal impediments due to administrative processes. For instance, building in some areas requires assessments and studies that - if conducted - could not be completed in time to finish the fence by the end of the year.

Brownsville Mayor Pat M. Ahumada Jr. is asking city commissioners to revoke access to city land from the federal government.

"We should make the federal government earn every inch to get on our land and not compromise," Ahumada told the Brownville Herald Monday.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff had said using the waivers would be a last resort. The department has held more than 100 meetings with lawmakers, environmental groups and residents in an effort to work out obstacles and objections to fence construction. The department will conduct environmental assessments when necessary, one of the officials said. But the waivers allow the department to start building before completing the assessments.

The department was expected to announce the plans later Tuesday.

Residents and property owners along the U.S.-Mexico border have complained about the construction of fencing. In South Texas, where opposition has been widespread, land owners refused to give the government access to property along the fence route.

The government has since sued more than 50 property owners in South Texas to gain access to the land.

Environmentalists have also complained about the fence because they say it puts already endangered species such as two types of wild cats - the ocelot and the jaguarundi - in even more danger of extinction. They say the fence would prevent them from swimming across the Rio Grande to mate.

Chertoff has said the fence is good for the environment because immigrants degrade the land with trash and human waste when they sneak illegally into the country.


© MMVIII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Add a Comment See all 82 Comments
by usgeneral-2009 April 1, 2008 5:00 PM EDT

.
The fence MUST be built by the end of this year. Once the Dems get into power next Jan 20 (and by Dems I include the RINO AMNESTY-JOHN), the fence will be stopped and what has been built left to decay. Open-borders will then be the new policy, to the detriment of all US citizens.

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Reply to this comment
by middleman8 April 1, 2008 5:02 PM EDT
Wouldn''t it be a lot easier and make more sense to just build a cage to put bush into. A lot cheaper also.
Reply to this comment
by hotpaulie April 1, 2008 5:03 PM EDT
This is quite an issue. I believe the fence is a very good idea, but the laws that are ignored to complete this project is disappointing. I am a land owner and can understand why those people are upset. However, I dont have illegal immigrants crawling over it either. Tough issue to fully support one way or another.
Reply to this comment
by hotpaulie April 1, 2008 5:05 PM EDT
middleman8 - Yes I believe putting King george in a cage would be cheaper. It will probably break fewer laws as well.
Reply to this comment
by excoachken April 1, 2008 5:10 PM EDT
This guy does nothing without a selfish reason. Maybe he''s trying to get the 1500 acres in Crawford ready for the real estate market. He probably could offer a second mortgage from Bear-Stearns in the deal.
Reply to this comment
by feelfree1 April 1, 2008 5:16 PM EDT

Re: "A zig-zagging second fence, center, runs parallel to the orginal border fence, right, along the U.S./Mexico border in San Diego, in a Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2003 file photo."

Nice one!

Kind of like the apartheid "fence" in occupied Palestine, the "fence" that carves up Baghdad, and the Great "Fence" of China!
Reply to this comment
by mudrose-2009 April 1, 2008 5:19 PM EDT
This guy does nothing without a selfish reason. Maybe he''''s trying to get the 1500 acres in Crawford ready for the real estate market. He probably could offer a second mortgage from Bear-Stearns in the deal.
Posted by exCoachKen

The American people want the borders closed. That''s reason enough.
Reply to this comment
by quetzal0666 April 1, 2008 5:31 PM EDT
such a waste of money,
to stop the migration youll need economic development, not fences.....
Reply to this comment
by middleman8 April 1, 2008 5:34 PM EDT
feelfree1...With all these fence''s I sure wished I had bought stock in fence material factories, maybe bush owns them all..***
Reply to this comment
by hockeymanvt April 1, 2008 5:38 PM EDT
Never let a mere law keep you from making a quick profit. Especially when middle class taxpayers are footing the bill. This man has NO shame.
Reply to this comment
by apprxam April 1, 2008 6:05 PM EDT
Don''t tell...Halliburton, KBR, AT&T, Blackwater and the NCRR will be given uninhibited, non-bid contracts to violate the clean Air, Clean Water and vaunted "Clear Skies" Acts. THank GB, get through the red tape by violating and ignoring laws. Just like in the finished and refurbished Gulf Coast area. If he''d just use the National Guards to help out down...oh, they''re in Iraq, poised for Iran.
Reply to this comment
by inventagod April 1, 2008 6:05 PM EDT

In a hundred years there will be footage on the news of citizens using sledgehammers on the Bu$h Memorial Wall of Stupidity...
Reply to this comment
by apprxam April 1, 2008 6:11 PM EDT
Asked city commissioners to revoke access to city land from the federal government.

Brownsville Mayor Pat M. Ahumada Jr.

He better be careful or he''ll wake up on Thursday in Camp X-Ray in Cuba, signed, sealed and delivered by D*ck Cheney himself with buckshot in his arse.
Reply to this comment
by walt1944-2009 April 1, 2008 6:18 PM EDT
PREPARE!

The Great USSA Border Fence is coming and will be built right through whatever property you may own!

The Great Emperor Bush II wants "Da Fence" finished by the end of the year, thus preventing illegal immigrants from gaining entry into the USSA (so he thinks!).

Though it has been proven time and time again through history that walls and fences do NOT keep people OUT, and seldom keep people IN, the Great Emperor has disregarded what history says but only does what his brain (and VP Darth Vader Cheney, Halliburton, and KBR) tell him!

Examples of walls and fences through history include:
1) Hadrian''s Wall in Britain - meant to keep the "barbarians out of the Roman Empire. They got in anyway!!
2) The Great Wall of China - meant to keep the "barbarians" out of China. They got in too!!!
3) The Berlin Wall - meant to keep the East German people IN. People tunneled under it, flew over it, snuck through it; the thing lasted 30 years before it was knocked down!

Only a neocon Fascist Nazi thinks building a wall is going to solve problems!

SIG HEIL, BUSH!!!!
sig heil, (more of the same) McCain????
Reply to this comment
by random_radar April 1, 2008 6:21 PM EDT
We have to obey the laws, but the government doesn''t. Isn''t that the definition of lawlessness?
Reply to this comment
by tomanyt April 1, 2008 6:53 PM EDT
Why don''t we help Mexico create jobs so that their people will stay in Mexico instead of coming here to earn money to send back to Mexico? A fence is not going to stop people from coming here illegally.
Reply to this comment
by excoachken April 1, 2008 6:56 PM EDT
To mudrose: Since when does Bush do something for a "reason." For him it is all about the money and the photo op. By the way, if you think this fence (constructed by business partner friends of the Bush family at enormous profit) has any chance of stopping illegal immigration, you are more stupid than the Cowardly Cowboy!
Reply to this comment
by yongamerica April 1, 2008 7:06 PM EDT
A wall is a wall is a wall no matter the name
all we are are just bricks in the wall
Reply to this comment
by jetauma April 1, 2008 7:07 PM EDT
Sincity: Yeah, and when the fence is done, let''s leave Bush, et al on the other side.
Reply to this comment
by quetzal0666 April 1, 2008 7:12 PM EDT
Great Idea, lets throw a party on the fence and have a Pink Floyd Concert.!!!
Reply to this comment
by tomanyt April 1, 2008 7:13 PM EDT
Lets not forget that a lot of our ancestors came to this country before Ellis Island was even thought of. So in a sense we are products of illegal aliens. America is made up of immigrants. That''s why its called a "Melting Pot"
Reply to this comment
by mick7744 April 1, 2008 7:20 PM EDT
The Bush/Cheney Gang probably already has a crony in the guard dog business to give the contract to, and everybody knows at least one electrician who can juice up a fence...

''Mankind need more often be reminded than informed''
Dr. Samuel Johnson
1709-1784
Reply to this comment
by tomanyt April 1, 2008 7:26 PM EDT
mjlewis...And Sidestep 30 Laws And Regulations To Battle Illegal Immigration.
Reply to this comment
by quetzal0666 April 1, 2008 7:26 PM EDT
A frriend of mine rescently spent some vacation time
in Presidio Texas, his family are Native U.S. Citizens
and own land around the River area for generations
they also have a home in a separate plot walking distance to their land, 2 days after driving in and settling down, My friend along with his father walked over to the family plot, and just 30 minutes later
homeland Security Showed up and harassed the mother who was home alone,
they went inside the home, and searched their luggage,
everything else in the house,
all without a warrant,
had it been myself id have told them to go take a swim, and come back with a warrant, but the mother was so intimidated she let them in.
is this the kind of society we have become, walled in and badge carrying monkeys harassing old ladies?
Reply to this comment
by tomanyt April 1, 2008 7:32 PM EDT
sincityq...Do you really believe that a border fence will stop people from entering the US?
Reply to this comment
by rudy654-2009 April 1, 2008 7:32 PM EDT
It is funny. If a government like East Germany or Russia didn''t want their people escaping and coming here, they put up a wall and American Presidents protested. Now they are building a wall to keep out lettuce pickers. I hope it works. I really do. It''s about time some of you went to work.
Reply to this comment
by nottellin1 April 1, 2008 7:34 PM EDT
I dont care if the fence is ever built or the border secured. The only penalty that willm effect illegal immigration is workplace enforcement. As long as we employ illegals, they will continue to find a way to live here. If we dry up the employment, illegals will self deport as they are doing in Prince William County. Granted most are simply moving to a different area of the US but if there are nom jobs in the US at all, most illegals will leave.
Reply to this comment
by hungry1968 April 1, 2008 7:42 PM EDT
That''s awesome!!

7 years into his presidency, he''s now acheived "lamest of lame ducks" status, and NOW he''s going to do something about illegal immigrants?
Reply to this comment
by penskeone April 1, 2008 7:51 PM EDT
I dont care if the fence is ever built or the border secured. The only penalty that willm effect illegal immigration is workplace enforcement. As long as we employ illegals, they will continue to find a way to live here. If we dry up the employment, illegals will self deport as they are doing in Prince William County. Granted most are simply moving to a different area of the US but if there are nom jobs in the US at all, most illegals will leave.


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Posted by nottellin1 at



Not True they will self deport to other states!

Close the Border! Let''s also pass a Comprehensive Reform Bill!
Reply to this comment
by middleman8 April 1, 2008 7:52 PM EDT
Now if this fence was built to keep the US military home and behind said fence, the whole world would be over there with pick and shovel helping to build it. no such luck.
Reply to this comment
by talkingham April 1, 2008 7:55 PM EDT
This Bush admin will be remembered in history as one of the worst ever if not the worst. Iraq is his masterpiece resulting in the loss of thousands of Americans and trillions of dollars and for what-- to feed an already rich bunch of defense and private contractors.

Who hires all of these illegals? Mostly fat cat construction companies and big corporations because small businesses know they not the big boys will get hauled in by the feds.

The Bush presidency has been a complete disaster.

Will Ferrell got it right on Saturday Live shortly after Bush was "elected" in 2000- the cowering Bush hiding under his desk while Washington was attacked. That skit was about 6 months before 911, guess Ferrell knew. He left the show shortly therafter.
Reply to this comment
by quetzal0666 April 1, 2008 8:20 PM EDT
Actually Mexico has lost allot of companies to
India and China as well,
Some U.S. Companies have closed their mexican operations and migrated to Asia, where labor laws arent as defined.
Reply to this comment
by liberalme April 1, 2008 8:23 PM EDT
It is funny. If a government like East Germany or Russia didn''''t want their people escaping and coming here, they put up a wall and American Presidents protested. Now they are building a wall to keep out lettuce pickers. I hope it works. I really do. It''''s about time some of you went to work.

Posted by rudy654 at 04:32 PM : Apr 01, 2008

Ahh if it were only that simple.
Most are not "lettuce pickers". They have taken over jobs in the building industry for wages they can''t even live on. Thus "qualifying" them for free medical coverage, food stamps and subsidized housing, which by the way, most Americans can''t even qualify for.

This government and its corporations has been promoting its own level of slavery.

If middle class Americans won''t work for "pittance" wages for the wealthy-they''ll get their own--they just don''t have to "buy" them, they allow them to come here on their own.
Reply to this comment
by toolmangler-2009 April 1, 2008 8:25 PM EDT
is this the kind of society we have become, walled in and badge carrying monkeys harassing old ladies?
Posted by Quetzal0666 at 04:26 PM : Apr 01, 2008


That is just the tip of the iceberg. Wait until you get implanted with the RFID chip that iss already bieng produced by the millions, then the Satelites will look down on you humble abode and watch your activities til you die.
Reply to this comment
by liberalme April 1, 2008 8:28 PM EDT
That is just the tip of the iceberg. Wait until you get implanted with the RFID chip that iss already bieng produced by the millions, then the Satelites will look down on you humble abode and watch your activities til you die.

Posted by ToolMangler at 05

Can''t wait for the new ID card!!!!
Reply to this comment
by quetzal0666 April 1, 2008 8:30 PM EDT
They can already track your cell phone even if turned off, the Cell still sends out signals,
some have sugggested removing the batteries
will fix it, but it wont be long before even the batteries are trackable.
Reply to this comment
by liberalme April 1, 2008 8:37 PM EDT
They can already track your cell phone even if turned off, the Cell still sends out signals,
some have sugggested removing the batteries
will fix it, but it wont be long before even the batteries are trackable.
Posted by Quetzal0666 at 05:30 PM : Apr 01, 2008

Personally, I don''t give a RA who knows what I''m doing, what I want to know is why do they need to know what I''m doing?

They are wasting their time and a lot of money with the "average" American. Certainly not worth the cost for the "few" they may catch in the act of terrorism!
And, if they were going to catch anyone, they would have done so by now, with 800,000 names on the FBI terror-watch list and the illegal wiretapping they''ve been conducting.

All these ideas are presented to our genius leaders and approved with no forethought or plan--shooting from the hip with a "good" idea!
Reply to this comment
by blackwater66-2009 April 1, 2008 8:39 PM EDT
Must be an election coming up soon ?? Gas prices will also go down closer to the election to make you feel good and there will be an October surprise coming our way soon as well!! Afyer that who knows ??

I like big John McCain, he will help keep us safe.

Stay the course big John !!!
Reply to this comment
by blkandright April 1, 2008 8:43 PM EDT
The bill authorizing the 700-Mile fence was signed back in Sept of 2006 and has very popular support with the American people . Where the fence has been built illegal immigration has declined dramatically. This is precisely why it not popular in parts of Texas. America is not alone in trying to enforce it%u2019s borders. Mexico has very strict immigration laws. Hondurans%u2019 and Guatemalans%u2019 who enter Mexico illegally are unable to send their kids to school and are subject to be turned away from hospitals
Reply to this comment
by rowdytexan2 April 1, 2008 8:48 PM EDT
If they''d have hired illegal workers to build that fence, it would''ve been done in a year and half. This is pro''bly the most mis-managed project going today.

What an ugly fence. It does kindof remind you of the Berlin wall. But I guess it doesn''t have to be pretty to be effective. Glad it''s not my property.

I''m not real sure this fence is the answer anyway, but it probably made some of Bush''s friends and some politico''s in the area''s friend rich.

Isn''t American great!?
Reply to this comment
by ioweign April 1, 2008 8:49 PM EDT
I like big John McCain, he will help keep us safe.

Stay the course big John !!!

Posted by blackwater66 at 05:39 PM : Apr 01, 2008



You will be flat broke before you are safe...

Reply to this comment
by penskeone April 1, 2008 8:56 PM EDT
Let''s Just give them Amnesty! Big Deal! Quit Whining! Who cares if they are taking our low skilled jobs. Here some advice, Get more Skills! If your fighting with an illegal alien to mow grass, you should get Deported! We should be worried about importing all these Doctors and Engineers from India.
Reply to this comment
by colonieny April 1, 2008 9:07 PM EDT
WHAT IS TAKING SO *** LONG ?
Reply to this comment
by cpaide April 1, 2008 9:08 PM EDT
the fence is being built to keep u.s. citizens from invading mexico and overthrowing the corrupt government that won''t feed, house or educate their own citizens. california is mexico''s welfare state.
Reply to this comment
by rebelscout April 1, 2008 9:17 PM EDT
You want to build an effective fence to keep illegals out? follow the example of the old east german border.I served in the army and patrolled that border.SM-70 shotgun mines on the fence,razor wire,concertina wire on top,border towers,roving patrols. I''m telling you, if it could keep them in and believe me, they tried frequently to get out,it would sure work here!
Reply to this comment
by inventagod April 1, 2008 9:19 PM EDT

I remember when ol Bu$hie-Boy stole 700K from the Afghan war and used it to invade Iraq... Broke all kinds of laws that day.
Nuthin new, here.
Reply to this comment
by penskeone April 1, 2008 9:23 PM EDT
the fence is being built to keep u.s. citizens from invading mexico and overthrowing the corrupt government that won''''t feed, house or educate their own citizens. california is mexico''''s welfare state.


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Posted by cpaide at 06:08 PM : Apr 01, 2008



First Of All, Comments like this stir up hate. This is the same reason you guys get mad when Mexico''s President Felipe Calderon gives us the ''verbal middle finger'' when he comes here. Mexico is improving, You were just lucky to be born here.
Reply to this comment
by rebelscout April 1, 2008 9:28 PM EDT
Pretty much every country give''s us the big middle finger anymore. Thank''s Dubya.
Reply to this comment
by penskeone April 1, 2008 9:33 PM EDT
I''ll tell you this much. If you were born in a 3rd world country. You would be here. Mexico just happens to be right across the border. Let''s legalize the undocumented workers, and seal the borders.
Reply to this comment
by rebelscout April 1, 2008 9:42 PM EDT
That''s about it isn''t it? There is no way we can kick out all the illegals so yeah, document them then shut ''er down!
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