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.