'Virtual' fence along U.S.-Mexico border delayed
The Bush administration's plan to outfit the U.S.-Mexico border with a "virtual" fence consisting of sensors, cameras, and drone aircraft is running into technical snags.
Federal officials told a congressional committee on Wednesday that the first phase of the project--consisting of about 100 miles near Yuma and Tuscon, Ariz., and El Paso, Texas--won't likely be completed until 2011, about three years later than expected, according to The Washington Post. The task is being overseen by the Department of Homeland Security and has been contracted out to Boeing.
The Bush administration is working on adding a 'virtual' fence--consisting of sensors, drones, and cameras--in an effort to supplement physical fences like this one along the U.S.-Mexico border.
(Credit: U.S. Department of Homeland Security)For years, the Bush administration has been heralding the concept of a "high-tech" fence as a sophisticated, 21st-century way to help border patrol agents nab foreigners trying to sneak into the country--and supplement physical fences, which are also in the works. In 2006, it estimated that it would cost $7.6 billion to secure the entire 2,000-mile southern border. Critics, including Democrats in Congress, charge the effort has been wasteful and poorly executed so far, and civil libertarians have raised questions about privacy.
The decision to postpone completion of the first phase came after government auditors discovered numerous flaws in a 28-mile pilot of the border fence in Arizona. Known as "Project 28," the $20.6 million effort was supposed to have been operational last summer, but software integration issues stymied a timely launch.
In the past, other glitches--including lags in radar information displaying in command centers and newly deployed radars being activated by rain or other environmental factors--have made the system unusable, according to Government Accountability Office investigators. However, the GAO did note in its testimony Wednesday to Congress (PDF) that border security agents they interviewed say the current project provides "greater technological capabilities" than what they're accustomed to working with.
Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said last week that the department had "accepted" the pilot, which he said means the agency will take elements of the prototype and apply them to other parts of its virtual fence plan. He also said the department plans to double the number of unmanned aerial vehicles policing the border. In a blog entry on Tuesday, Chertoff denied any allegations that the overall border security plan is facing setbacks or, as The Wall Street Journal called it in a weekend article, "mothballing."
"I've seen this system work with my own eyes, and I've talked with the Border Patrol Agents who are using it," Chertoff wrote. "They assure me that it adds value."
In the meantime, some EIGHT YEARS, the Democratic 'run' Legislators and Pres. Bush are purposefully allowing, and even enabling, multi millions of people to enter and stay in this country ILLEGALLY. CURRENT law allows deportation of all Thirty Million of them! What are we waiting for.....bankrupcy of the nation?
Illegals, FELONS BY DEFINITION INDER CURRENT LAW, are desroying every facet of our economy and society.
Wake-Up America!!!!!! Stop this invasion and occupation.
What's the matter with you? NASA is one of the few government funded projects that we can actually be proud of (most of the time). How about cutting military spending, or giving those Washington representatives a pay cut? After all, it's a government for the people, by the people, right?
Dick: here, use my special coin.
Recapture tax payer's money build a double fence with space between for border guards/vehicles first.
Then come back with virtual fence along with that. I bet there are "TONS" of American Contractors that are not favored by the Government that could do an awesome job building a physical fence in less than a year for total completion for a fraction of the cost originally thought.
Put Americans to work!
For Tunnels found being dug.
Plant poisionous bugs, spiders, and snakes then back fill the holes.
For every tunnel discovered by an American Citizen a bounty of $5,000.00 should be paid within two weeks (tax free).
Any American caught participating in smuggling of illegal immigrants should be declared NON American and not protected by our laws and should be deported with the illegal immigrant.
Companies that are found to be employing illegal immigrants should be fined so heavily the first time that if doubled the second time they are out of business.
Take care of Starving Americans before giving illegal immigrants anything.. period.
"Any American caught participating in smuggling of illegal
immigrants should be declared NON American and not protected
by our laws and should be deported with the illegal immigrant.
Companies that are found to be employing illegal immigrants
should be fined so heavily the first time that if doubled the
second time they are out of business."
That would actually do something. This "border fence" idea is
just another distraction from fuhrer bush's total incompetence
combined with yet another plan to fleece as much $$$ out of
this country as possible. We're being raped by the White House
and yet people are falling into line, blaming all our problems on
illegal aliens. News flash people, this isn't a new problem and no
terrorist has ever made it into this country from our southern
border. Fact: the 9/11 terrorists got into this country legally
(and overstayed their visas). They didn't slip across either
border. Notice that means even if we had locked down both
borders years prior to 9/11 it would have still happened.
9/11 happened because fuhrer bushit allowed it to happen. He
knew about it well in advance and did nothing to prevent it
because it got the country all riled up and allowed him to start
an illegal war with Iraq for his oil buddies to profit from. You've
been scammed people.
Want to protect this country from terrorists? Impeach, imprison
and torture to death the entire bushit regime including all his
appointees and reverse all laws passed during it's reign. Press
the reset button and start over. Everything fuhrer bushit has
done over the last 8 years has put the U.S. in more peril than
we've been in at any time throughout our glorious history.
The most unpatriotic act I can think of today is to support fuhrer
bushit in any way. He needs to be executed for crimes against
humanity and our Constitution.
Another three years I have to stand post on the border with the Minutemen doing the job our government refuses to do.
We all will be speaking Spanish by the time they complete the fence.
This latest attempt of the ICE is loaded with Bush's pork for the faithful. 3 Years guarantees that Boeing will still be getting fed money even after Bush.
The "Virtual Fence" will make the money spent on the "Big Dig" look like a little ditch.
Probably would be cheaper to give the illegal mexicans work permits, then hire them to guard the border and keep anyone not mexican out.
http://www.borderstories.org
- by Violin_writer August 24, 2008 6:02 PM PDT
- It is so simple to assume that this illegal imigrants are the cause to all of Americas problems. There perhaps more desperate global issues than a few Mexicans hoping the fence. Much of Mexico's problem is their corruption within their government... not only tdon't you have immigrants from many other third world south American countries comming through the Mexican border
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(16 Comments)The key in eliminating the threat of illegal immigrants is to make the INS more effecient.... not wasting hundreds upon hundreds of dollars on a fence that just gives the illegals a workout..