The fence defense

Washington, D.C.

With Congress scrambling to adjourn for the run-up to the November elections, the House last week voted to erect 700 miles of double-layer, 28-foot-high fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border. The $2.2 billion fence is all that remains of an ambitious package of immigration reforms that once included a guest worker program and a crackdown on companies that hire illegals. Even some border-control officers said they doubted that the fence, which would cover about a third of the U.S.-Mexico border, would stem the flow of illegal aliens. Still, polls show that voters, by a wide margin, favor tighter borders, and 64 House Democrats joined the all-but-six Republicans who supported the fence.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up