Looks like fences will go up on the U.S.-Mexico border

WASHINGTON — The Senate called Wednesday for 370 miles of triple-layered fencing on porous sections of the 2,000-mile U.S.-Mexico border to crack down on illegal immigration and smuggling.

In an 83-16 vote, the Senate overwhelmingly backed an amendment to fortify 70 miles of existing fences near San Diego and parts of Arizona, build 300 miles of additional fencing through the Arizona desert and construct 500 miles of vehicle barriers in other vulnerable areas.

The $1 billion proposal, opposed by Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., is less extensive than a 700-mile fence proposed by the House, but it puts both chambers of Congress in support of building such barriers.

The Mexican government has denounced the House proposal as "shameful," but it didn't issue an immediate reaction to the Senate proposal, added to a comprehensive immigration bill.

Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., said his amendment tracks a plan by the Department of Homeland Security to construct fences in areas frequently used by smugglers and illegal immigrants.

The department would determine locations, but Sessions indicated that much of the fencing would be linked to a 20-mile fence already constructed near San Diego.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff has opposed barriers along the full length of the border, but he supports renewed and expanded barriers in vulnerable areas.

The 700-mile fence that the House included in an enforcement-oriented immigration bill in December would cost an estimated $2.2 billion.

Supporters described the Senate plan as a modest alternative to the House one, without the negative symbolism. But Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., one of the Senate's leading architects of immigration legislation, lambasted Sessions' explanation that the barriers would be confined to strategic locations.

"Let's be serious," Kennedy said, contending that the fence could cost as much as $4 billion. "That's almost a quarter of the whole southern border stretching from California to the Gulf of Mexico."

Inclusion of the fencing — as well as modifications to a Senate guest-worker provision that could lead to citizenship for some of the estimated 11 million to 12 million illegal immigrants in the United States — appeared to be aimed at making the legislation more acceptable to the House during future negotiations to reconcile the two bills.

Senators voted 66-33 to preserve a key component that would grant legal status to millions of illegal immigrants, but they continued to refine the bill in an attempt to pick up votes from wavering senators in both parties.

Senators unanimously adopted an amendment co-sponsored by Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., that prohibits immigrants convicted of felonies or three misdemeanors from being eligible for the green cards that would give them permanent legal status. Another provision declaring that illegal immigrants seeking a legal guest-worker permit could not petition for legalization on their own, and instead must be sponsored by an employer, passed on a 50-48 vote.

Senators also accepted a Democratic amendment aimed at preventing a temporary guest-worker program from undercutting prevailing wages paid to U.S. workers. Critics of the guest-worker program also have retooled the measure to reduce the total number of guest workers admitted each year to 200,000 from 325,000.

Senate Democrats acknowledged grumbling about changes in the bill Wednesday, but said they are willing to accept a lot of provisions they do not like, as long as they get the one measure they must have: a chance at citizenship for illegal immigrants now in the country.

"I'm not willing to prejudge the final product because of some provisions I don't like," said Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J. "At the end of the day, the question will be, 'Will there be a pathway to earned citizenship?' "

For his part, President Bush dispatched political adviser Karl Rove to Capitol Hill on Wednesday in an attempt to shore up House support for a comprehensive plan that includes a guest-worker program. Many House conservatives remained adamantly opposed to the Senate bill and said Rove's visit made little difference.

"I didn't see it was a persuasive event," said Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, an outspoken opponent of the Senate bill. "If it was about Karl Rove seeking to convince members of Congress after debate that he's right and we're wrong, it would have been better not to have the meeting."

King's comments were reported by The Associated Press.