Here comes the fence!

I read the title as "Here comes the McFence!" because of the "save the mcpizza" thread below.

Good. About time.

The only way it will work is to make it resemble and operate as did the East/West fence of the old Soviet Eastern European Block. Other than that it will be an expensive symbol, bout it.

Predator monsters.

I feel bad for the guy who has to paint it.


Will it be picket?...we want to make American look as homely as possible.

oldsoldier wrote: The only way it will work is to make it resemble and operate as did the East/West fence of the old Soviet Eastern European Block. Other than that it will be an expensive symbol, bout it.

Concur - although quite that level of manpower probably wouldn't be needed with modern technology, making a fence that covers a third of the border isn't much use.

Not to mention, of course, that our much longer border with Canada remains unprotected.  If I'm a terrorist, I'm walking across from Toronto.

Symbol indeed.

To be fair, Clark, terrorism isn't the only concern here. The southern states are finding themselves paying colossal bills in criminal justice, penal, medical and other state administrative functions in dealing with illegal immigrants.

I'm not anti-immigration, but I'm anti illegal immigration. It makes a mockery of those who are willing to obey your nation's laws and sue the proper legal process to get in. Criminal activity has also surged in connection with the slew of illegals.

A proper fence would be a genuine boon to the southern states. It's a legitimate matter of national security, crime prevention, and even sovereignty.

The fence is a feel good (albeit expensive) buzz item.

Won't do a whole lot, but will make some south-westerners feel a little better about themselves.

Personally I think it is a waste of money, money we could use to reform the immigration process and make it easier to legally immigrate. More legal immigration we have, more taxing and controlling we can do. But of course the rational method is ignore here, in place of a big ass fence. Mostly I think due to racism.

Mephistopheles wrote: Simple solution. Fine out the *** any business that employes and harbors illegal immigrants. They will keep coming over as long as jobs are going to be available.

I agree completely that this is the only method that is likely to succeed in enforcing our current laws.  Better yet, make it a crime, and start sending individual HR managers to jail.  That will stop illegal hiring in a hurry.  And when illegal hiring stops, there will be less incentive for illegals to come here.

Of course, that still doesn't address the issue of whether the laws we have are the correct laws.

RicWhic414 wrote: It would be so hard for the government to go to every place and check all the paper works of everyone that works there...

That's not how it would work.  Proper paperwork for employment is already required by law.  The tracking mechanism is already there.  The government doesn't go and look at everybody's tax return either, yet tax fraud is relatively minor.  The reason is the penalty.

Two changes would have to be made to enforce this. 

First, jack up penalties and enforcement.  It is very rare that any enforcement action at all is taken against illegal employers.  That would have to change.  It wouldn't be hard - illegal laborers are mostly focused in a few large sectors, it's not like we don't know where they are.  We start auditing the paperwork at large agricultural companies, at large hotel chains, large meat plants, and so forth.  That would catch most of the big fish right away.  Then we also need to change the penalties.  Right now it is a slap on the wrist.  We need penalties that hurt the stock price.  Criminal penalties against individuals in charge wouldn't be bad either.  We need penalties that are a proper deterrent - the current penalties are obviously not doing it.

Second, we need to improve the actual documents, and raise the diligence stardards for HR people.  Thousands/millions of illegal laborers are using fake/stolen SS cards.  All too often this is a wink/nod deal with the employer.  We need central control on SS cards, and we need the HR folks to actually check each employer.  Again, not hard - the infrastructure is mostly there already.

This would be cheaper and more effective than a giant penis - I mean fence.