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In his speech, Mr. Bush made six major pledges: 1) fix the illegal immigration problem, 2) control the border, 3) create technological border security, 4) add National Guard forces to aid the understaffed Border Patrol, 5) confront drug traffic and other crimes resulting from illegal immigration, and 6) oppose amnesty for all the illegal border crossers.
Since that speech, the illegal immigrant problem hasn’t been fixed and the border is not controlled. Some National Guard troops were sent into the area near, but not at the border. Drug traffic and crime caused by illegal immigrants continues. And the President strongly supported the McCain-Kennedy comprehensive immigration measure that was defeated in 2007 because it was correctly perceived to be an amnesty program in disguise.
What about the promised technological border security measures? It turns out that Boeing was awarded a contract to produce what has been called a "virtual fence" along 28 miles of the Mexican border south of Tucson, Arizona. After much fanfare, it turns out the project doesn’t work. Its network of sensors situated in high towers with electronic surveillance equipment, radar, cameras and special vehicles equipped with computers and fancy telephones must be completely redesigned. From an announced target date for completion before the end of Mr. Bush’s term in office, the project is not expected to be operational for at least three more years.
Boeing was originally given $20.6 million for the project. As recently as last December, the Department of Homeland Security sent $65 million more to the Seattle-based aircraft manufacturer. Homeland Security officials have now taken over the project which will cost additional hundreds of millions of dollars.
Today the border remains nearly as porous as ever. Each of Mr. Bush’s promises and plans to deal with the situation have not been delivered. As one result, throughout the United States, local and state officials have taken the matter of illegal immigrants into their own hands by passing measures restricting the hiring and housing of illegal immigrants.
There is one step that would greatly ease the illegal immigration problem, if not end it completely. All that’s needed is to put a stop to providing a variety of taxpayer-supplied benefits to those who have broken the law to come here. No more education, medical care, food, housing, etc. No more anchor babies who are then cited as legal justification for family members to be here. Let those who aspire to live and work in the United States aspire to complete the process of legal immigration.
Until this is done, even a working "virtual fence" won’t solve the problem. Illegal immigration isn’t a virtual problem; it’s very real and it isn’t being addressed meaningfully.
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