Cost of the Border Fence

The main purpose for the building of the border fence is to help better secure our nation, but should the nearby wildlife have to pay for something that they are not even part of? Is it really worth it to put the fragile ecosystem that we live in at risk? The intended advantage of the virtual border fence is that it offers more flexibility than a strictly physical fence. But the project has also received a significant amount of criticism. Most experts on all sides of the immigration debate agree that the border fence is a political band-aid for a larger policy problem. Mark Krikorian of the restrictionist Center for Immigration Studies believes that “politicians tend to over-emphasize the importance of fencing.” Cecilia Munoz, of the Hispanic advocacy group National Council of La Raza calls the fence a “monument to Congress’s efforts to look like they’re doing something.” The enforcement-first approach of the Bush administration does nothing to deal with the 12 million undocumented immigrants already in this country, or American employers’ demand for cheap immigrant labor, or the lack of a legal path for entry for future immigrants.

This border fence is a profoundly bad policy because it won’t work. Yet it is already included in 2 bills passed by the House this year. No, they cross legally at the numerous ports of entry, and will continue to do so after the border fence is completed. The Border Fence is simply our best first step .and about the only step our politicians have ever taken in this direction. Please keep this in mind as you browse this website.

At an average burdened cost of $75,000 each that would be $1.3 billion per year. Maintenance and up-keep at $500,000 per mile would cost $976 million per year for a total operating cost of $2.3 billion per year. Churches and other organizations can do the job at a tenth of the cost we are forced to pay unlawfully by government. And yes, they, the “immigrants” will still come, subsist and succed, on their own dime! When completed, the barrier is expected to cost about $650,000.

The high price tag stems from the expedited construction schedule and from high costs for fuel, steel and labor (read: no undocumented workers). DHS is also being hampered by the number of landowner lawsuits and eminent domain cases still pending in court in Texas. What we need to do is stop resisting and start managing those forces more effectively—managing them so that we reap the maximum benefit (the economic growth and the immigrant vitality) without the costs (the illegality). How to go about that? Crossers say they used to pay a couple hundred dollars to a guide; now, it costs a couple thousand dollars.

In September, Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Ralph Basham told Congress that his agency needed an additional $400 million to complete the project, citing higher costs for fuel, steel and labor. So I think it’s a moot question to start arguing the cost. I just don’t think it’s going to be built. The cost of the project will be about $2.1 billion. Each kilometer of fence costs approximately $2 million.

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Tags: Advocacy Group, American Employers, Band Aid, Border Fence, Bush Administration, Cecilia Munoz, Churches, Council Of La Raza, Fencing, First Approach, Flexibility, Fragile Ecosystem, Immigrant Labor, Immigration Debate, Immigration Studies, Krikorian, Million Undocumented Immigrants, National Council Of La Raza, Politicians, Ports Of Entry