Senate approves border barrier; Congress sidesteps broader reforms

WASHINGTON — The Senate gave final approval late Friday to legislation authorizing the construction of 698 miles of double-layered fencing on the U.S.-Mexico border, shelving President Bush's vision of an overhaul of U.S. immigration laws in favor of a vast barrier.

The measure was pushed hard by House Republican leaders, who wanted legislation that would make good on their promises to get tough on illegal immigrants, despite warnings from critics that a multibillion-dollar fence would do little to address the underlying economic, social and law-enforcement problems, or to prevent others from slipping across the border.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., surprised many advocates of a more comprehensive approach to immigration problems when he took up the House bill last week.

But in Congress' rush to recess Friday night for the fall political campaigns, the fence bill passed easily, 80-19, with 26 Democrats joining 54 Republicans in support. One Republican, Sen. Lincoln Chafee, of Rhode Island, and one Independent, Sen. James Jeffords, of Vermont, and 17 Democrats, including Washington's Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray, opposed the bill. The president has indicated that he will sign it.

Mexico's foreign affairs secretary, Luis Ernesto Derbez, said his country plans to send a letter strongly condemning the bill in an effort to dissuade Bush from signing it.

The Secure Fence Act authorizes the construction of at least two layers of reinforced fencing around the border town of Tecate, Calif., and a huge expanse stretching from Calexico, Calif., to Douglas, Ariz., virtually the entire length of Arizona's border with Mexico.

Another expanse would stretch over much of the southern border of New Mexico, with another section winding through Texas, from Del Rio to Eagle Pass, and from Laredo to Brownsville.

The Department of Homeland Security would be required to install an intricate network of surveillance cameras on the Arizona border by May 30, 2007, with the entire fence set for completion by the end of 2008.

Under the measure, the secretary of homeland security would have 18 months to achieve "operational control" of the U.S. frontier, using unmanned aerial vehicles, ground-based sensors, satellites, radar and cameras to prevent all unlawful U.S. entries. Fortifying those requirements, Congress approved $1.2 billion in a separate homeland-security spending bill to bankroll the fence.

That figure, however, is only a down payment and falls far short of the $6 billion the fence is expected to cost. The border now has 83 miles of fences. Lawmakers from both parties conceded that, even at 698 miles, the new barriers would leave nearly 1,200 miles of border uncovered.

In addition to money for starting work on the fence, a Homeland Security bill passed Friday by both houses includes $380 million to hire 1,500 more Border Patrol agents and money to build detention facilities to hold 6,700 more illegal immigrants until they can be deported.

"We have made giant steps in terms of our ability to control illegal immigration," said House Majority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio.

Foes of illegal immigration had clamored for the bill, flooding lawmakers' phones in the past week and sending lawmakers bricks symbolizing the wall they want on the southern border. Advocates of the measure called it a landmark step toward securing the nation's porous borders.

"Fortifying our borders is an integral component of national security," Frist said. "We can't afford to wait."

But opponents dismissed it as a political stunt, an international disgrace and an affront to the ideals laid out by Bush earlier this year when he called for legislation that would couple a border crackdown with new paths to lawful work and citizenship for foreigners seeking entry and for the nation's estimated 11 million illegal immigrants.

"This is not a sign of strength and engagement, but a sign of weakness and fear. And frankly, speaking as an American, it's an embarrassment," said Kevin Appleby, director of migration and refugee policy at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., taunted Bush for laying out an expansive vision of immigration reform, only to bow "to the radical anti-immigrant right wing of his party."

Advocates and opponents of the measure said it is not clear that the fence can be built as the bill envisions. The Arizona branch would have to plunge down steep ravines and scale craggy mountain peaks. "This is not Iowa farm land," said Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz. Construction is "going to be near impossible."

A vast stretch of the Arizona fence would traverse the lands of the Tohono O'odham Nation, which strongly opposes it and could bring suit, said Rep. Jim Kolbe, R-Ariz. And the Border Patrol does not have enough agents to stop smugglers from knocking holes in remote stretches.

"It's not feasible," said Kolbe, who is retiring from Congress at the end of the year. "It's a statement for the election. That's all."

Material from The Associated Press is included in this report.