Border Patrol

On September 19, 2008 The Austin American Statesman posted an article titled, "Department's mismanagement blamed for delays in the completion of the ,Texas/Mexico, border fence." This article is about the mismanagement of funds for the completion of the 670 mile "virtual fence'. The Governments misappropriations have halted the resources needed for Homeland Security. They have run out of land to build on, because they only own certain portions of it. Ranchers and civilians are not willing to sell their properties because the monetary offers are not justified. Since they are not willing to sell for a "cheap" price, I believe sub-contractors will be hired to make them move.

The government doesn't even have enough funds to hire border patrol to keep illegal immigrants from crossing. Vigilantes are ex-military, off duty police officers, ranchers and free lancers who volunteer their time to observe and report and criminal activity taking place. They vigilantes get in trouble for reprimanding the immigrants who are committing crimes. What are they supposed to do? Sit back and watch them cross over? Del Rio, Senora and El Paso are a few of the bigger border towns that they can't keep secure because of the drug traffic and immigrants. The civilians are making money this way, so they don't want to sell their land. To this day, 341 miles out of 670 miles have been completed because of the funding and land issues.

Congress has requested the border fencing be completed by December 31, 2008. Americans need to be aware of this serious issue, and become more involved. We need to do whatever is in our power to complete the fence. Illegal immigration has been an issue for quite some time, and is becoming out of control. Where is the governing in this situation?

On the flip side, we wouldn't be able to walk across the border to Mexico without being interrogated by authorities, so why are we not standing our ground? Why isn't there enough money to complete this project that has been planned out for so long? Don't we pay enough taxes?


The original article is posted below.

Department's mismanagement blamed for delays in border fence

Homeland security agency failed to specify requirements or implement effective testing for 'virtual fence' portion, federal investigators say.

HEARST NEWSPAPERS
Friday, September 19, 2008

WASHINGTON — The Government Accountability Office — the nonpartisan investigative arm of Congress — on Thursday blamed mismanagement in the Department of Homeland Security for delays and failures in the construction of the planned 670-mile fence along the U.S.-Mexico border.

There were "some serious gaps" in the department's approach, the GAO said, citing what it said was a failure to specify performance requirements for a high-tech segment of the fence and to implement effective testing.

Randolph Hite, director of information technology architecture and systems issues for the GAO, told the House Homeland Security Committee that the failure to complete the fence was "not a technical issue, it's an acquisition management issue."

Congress directed the department to construct the fence by Dec. 31 as part of a larger effort to combat illegal immigration.

Richard Stana, director of homeland security for GAO, said the department did not set strict "performance standards" for a high-tech "virtual fence" being constructed in Sasabe, Ariz., in conjunction with the Boeing Corp. The project has faced significant technical difficulties.

The department has said troubles in acquiring land have also slowed the project, although 341 miles of the planned 670 miles of fence have been constructed and contracts for the project's entire span have been completed.