The amendment passed Senate last year but was gutted behind closed doors
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) announced that he will introduce an amendment to the financial regulation bill to require the completion of 700 miles of double-layer physical fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border within one year. Senator DeMint's amendment follows through on the four-year-old promise made by Congress to secure the border under the Secure Fence Act of 2006. According to staff at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), just a fraction of double-layer fencing has been completed to date, with only 34.3 miles of double layer fencing in total (11.8 in California, 9.1 in Arizona, and 13.4 in Texas).
Senator DeMint's amendment was already approved last year by the Senate in a bipartisan 54-44 vote, with 21 Democrats joining 33 Republicans in support of the measure. However, Democrat leaders gutted the amendment behind closed doors after "the Obama administration had opposed rapid expansion of the fence."
"We've now had two administrations fail to keep their promise to the American people to secure our border and Americans are tired of excuses," said Senator DeMint. "Americans have demanded a real fence to combat the very real problems of illegal immigration that have led to human trafficking, drug trafficking, kidnapping and violence on our border. Congress will never be able to achieve long-term reform to create a legal immigration system that works until we secure our borders.
"We've had rhetoric and promises for four years without results. It's time we completed the fence and secured our borders to protect American citizens."
If Senator DeMint's amendment is signed into law, DHS Secretary Napolitano will be required to submit a report to Congress within six months (or 180 days) after enactment of the law on the progress made and her plans for completing the fence within twelve months.
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