Bush's border fence to cost extra $400 million

[Terri]

By EILEEN SULLIVAN
Associated Press
September 10, 2008

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Bush administration needs an extra $400 million to complete its fence along the country's southwestern border, and government investigators say that may not even be enough to finish construction by the end of this year.

To complete the 670-mile fence -- already half built -- the administration has asked Congress to approve the use of $400 million that was set aside for surveillance technology projects along the U.S.-Mexico border, Jayson Ahern, the deputy commissioner of Customs and Border Protection, told The Associated Press Tuesday.

Higher costs of fuel, steel and labor has led to the $400 million shortfall, Ahern said.

More

[yogi]

But what is the cost of NOT having the fence. I, because of age related problems, have spent more time in the emergency room than I cared to in the last few years. I have seen first hand how some uninsured people who are not citizens are using the ER for primary care. You see they cannot use an actual primary care doctor without paying him. This is not speculation on my part because I have actually talked to health care professionals who have told me the same thing I have seen for myself. Illegal immigrants (oops pardon me, I mean undocumented aliens) are much more likely to use the ER and then just disapear into the woodwork when it comes time to pay.

While the situation is not just about uninsured patients skipping out on their bills that is a major part of the reason many hospitals are losing money.

So I am all for finishing the fence and then getting tough on illegal immigration.

And before anyone starts bashing my stance I want you to know that I do realize that this country was built by immigrants who came here to live the American dream. But I am dead set against anyone who wants to come here and rape the system just because we are foolish enough to let them.

[javajoy]

It's not Bush's border fence is it? I think it belongs to us. Isn't that what we called for? Didn't we have this campaign to call our Reps and Senators to get them to approve a fence. Don't go blaming Bush now. Just MHO. It's not that I disagree with the fence, it's just that it isn't his fence, it is ours. We wanted it and we are getting it.

[Der Alte]

400 million is kind of like the "drop in a bucket" when you compare it to the 700 billion we give to countries that hate us. It is also small change to what the ILLEGALS are costing the states and the federal government - oops, I mean the taxpayer.

[schillerbjr]

What is the "added" cost of "corruption"???

[elmerck1]

Write your representatives and get them on the movement of that money to the fence. We got the imm. bill stopped by letters ,faxes and phone calls, and we can get the money to finish the frnce.