Homeland Security Breaks Promise On Fence

There hasn't been a yard of fence built on Texas' southern border, but the lies have already started. Homeland Security director Michael Chertoff had promised the residents of South Texas that he would consult with them before taking any action toward building the proposed 700 mile fence between Texas and Mexico.

Evidently he didn't mean what he said. Border officials have discovered that secret plans have already been drawn up for at least 153 miles of the fence. These plans were made without any consultation with Texans.

Several mayors and border residents met with Border Patrol officials on Saturday. All spoke against the fence, saying plans were being made that don't take into consideration factors such as cutting off landowners from the river, ruining flood-control systems, cutting off endangered wildlife from their only source of water, and harming relations with Mexico.

Sen. Eddie Lucio (D-Brownsville) even questioned the need for a fence in the first place. He said that a better idea would be to hire more agents and clear the brush away from the river. He also demanded to know of any instance where a terrorist has crossed into America via our southern border.

Of course he is right. There have not been any terrorists crossing there. They have much easier ways to enter the United States. The only people trying to enter America by crossing the Rio Grande are desperate workers trying to feed their families.

I can't think of a single good reason to waste over a billion dollars building a 700 mile fence. But there are many legitimate reasons why that fence should not be built. The government should stop pandering to the "immigration" bigots, and spend that money where it'll really do some good.