Senator Pete Domenici: Homeland Security Ready To Build Border Fence

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Pete Domenici reported Friday that the Department of Homeland Security is ready to move forward with building segments of fencing on the New Mexico border.

The DHS Customs and Border Patrol informed Domenici that it has issued task orders to begin construction of 3.4 miles of fencing at Santa Teresa and another 1.5 miles of fence at Columbus. The work is expected to be completed by February 2008.

“One component of improving border security will be actual physical fences along the U.S.-Mexico border. The public has asked us to focus on securing our borders, and Congress has responded by providing significant funds to put fences, vehicle barriers and other infrastructure improvements in place,”

Domenici said. “I will continue to ask DHS to work with local parties as it moves forward with this work.”

The impending fence construction in New Mexico is being carried out by CBP in cooperation with the Army Corps of Engineers.

Domenici serves on the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee that provided $1.19 billion within the FY2007 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill to construct border fencing and integrate other infrastructure improvements and new technology to deter illegal border crossings. That bill also provided $7.0 million to the CBP Deming Field Office for vehicle barriers installation.

Those funds were provided to begin implementation of the Secure Fence Act of 2006 (HR.6061), which authorized 700 miles of double-layered fencing at specified locations along the almost 2,000-mile Southwest Border-including fencing five miles west of Columbus to 10 miles east of El Paso.

As part of the Senate passed FY2008 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill, the Senate this July approved a Domenici-cosponsored “Border Security First” package providing $3.0 billion in emergency funding to ensure that within two years:

23,000 agents Border Patrol has hired, trained and deployed 700 miles total milesof border fencing has been constructed 300 miles of border vehicle barriers exist 4unmanned aerial vehicles are deployed 105 radar and camera towers are installed 45,000 beds are available to detain illegal immigrants

Domenici also cosponsored an amendment requiring DHS to consult with states, cities, tribes, and local land owners regarding the location of border fencing.