President Signs Border Fence Bill

At a White House ceremony this morning, President Bush signed into law a bill authorizing 700 miles of fencing along the U.S. - Mexico border.  President Bush called the measure "an important step in our nation's efforts to secure our borders."

Before the signing ceremony, President Bush addressed the issue of illegal immigration:  
"Unfortunately the United States has not been in complete control of its borders for decades and therefore illegal immigration has been on the rise.  We have a responsibility to enforce our laws.  We have a responsibility to secure our borders. We take this responsibility serious."

The measure President Bush put into law provides no money for the fence project covering one-third of the 2,100-mile border.  While the cost of the fencing is not yet determined, a homeland security spending measure the president signed earlier this month makes a $1.2 billion down payment on the project. The money also can be used for access roads, vehicle barriers, lighting, high-tech equipment and other tools to secure the border.