Hayworth Supports Fence Construction on the Border

(Washington, DC) Congressman J.D. Hayworth voted on September 14, 2006 to take real, concrete steps to secure our southern border by supporting the Secure Fence Act of 2006 (H.R. 6061), which passed the House by a 283 to 138 margin. The legislation would strengthen our nation's borders to guard against the threat of terrorism and stem the flow of illegal immigration by providing for over 700 miles of two-layered, reinforced fencing along the southwest border with prioritized placement at critical, highly populated areas. "The American people want, and the evidence demands, specific legislation to address our border security crisis," said Hayworth. "I hope this is the first of many legislative efforts to secure our border and enforce our laws." This is not the first time that the U.S. government has built physical barriers to successfully stop the flow of illegal aliens. In 1996, Congress mandated the construction of a 14-mile fence along the San Diego-Mexico border to stop drug trafficking and the flow of illegal immigration. Illegal alien apprehensions have dropped in the region from approximately 200,000 in 1992 to about 9,000 in 2005. "Right now we are facing a real security crisis that demands immediate action. This legislation is intended as an emergency measure that will use not only a reinforced fence, but state-of-the-art technology to build a virtual fence across our entire Southwest border." The legislation would mandate that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) maintain operational control over the entire border through a "virtual fence" that deploys cameras, ground sensors, unmanned aerial vehicles, (UAVs), and integrated surveillance technology. It would also require that DHS provide all necessary authority to border personnel to disable fleeing vehicles similar to the authority held by the United States Coast Guard for maritime vessels. The measure now goes to the Senate for consideration.