“Federal officials said on Friday they will raise a stretch of Rio Grande river levees in Texas instead of building a small section of the controversial U.S.-Mexico border wall across the property of reluctant landowners. The compromise only applies to about 22 miles (35 km) along the border in Hidalgo County, a small section of [...]
“Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said Wednesday he is heading to Texas to tie up plans for flood walls along the Rio Grande that could double as parts of a border fence. Chertoff told The Associated Press he would be in McAllen on Friday, and is very close to reaching an agreement with county officials [...]
“As lawmakers called for adequate funding to secure the nation’s borders and enforce immigration laws, and improved management of critical border security programs, Homeland Security Department Secretary Michael Chertoff disclosed Thursday that he will request $12 billion for those efforts.Several key lawmakers said they planned to closely scrutinize the Homeland Security Department’s fiscal 2009 budget [...]
“A lot of Americans grumbled, but there were no major delays or disruptions at this bustling border station in the last two days as United States citizens were required for the first time to show a passport or other identity documents to return to the country by land. Across the 1,900-mile border with Mexixo, inspectors [...]
“New rules for the types of identification U.S. or Canadian citizens must present to cross into the country shouldn’t cause significant delays and won’t be strictly enforced at first, a senior federal official said. Under the rules going into effect Thursday, people will no longer be allowed to simply declare to immigration officers at border [...]
“Starting Thursday, telling a customs agent you’re a citizen will no longer be enough to enter the United States. For years, customs agents have accepted verbal declarations at border crossings, but a new rule taking effect this week requires documents to prove identity and citizenship. The simplest way to comply is to carry a passport [...]
“Led by U.S. Senators Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), and Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), a bipartisan group of 19 senators Monday urged U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff to pull the plug on new border requirements that he plans to impose beginning this Thursday.” (Government Technology)
“Cities are getting clobbered by Washington’s failure to reform national immigration policy, a group of mayors said Friday, and they urged Congress to take another look at legislation on the issue before the general election. “Congress needs to get their heads out of the sand on this particular issue,” said Mayor David Wallace of Sugar [...]
“A federal judge urged the government Friday to use common sense and “good neighborness” in working out access to 12 pieces of private property in Cameron County that it says it needs to study land for the border fence.U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen did not rule Friday, but an order was expected early next week [...]
“Welcomed or not, a rising debate over illegal immigration has staked a prominent claim on this year’s political stage. Most Republican presidential candidates talk tough about secure borders and restricted opportunities to citizenship for people who are here illegally. The Democrats say as little as they can, hoping that a backlash of Hispanic voters against [...]