posted October 26, 2006
Rep. Zach Wamp praised the approval of a bill that he said will safeguard national security by building a 700-mile fence along the nation's southern border.
The bill was signed into law today by President George Bush.
The new law also requires the Department of Homeland Security to maintain operational control of the border with a "virtual fence" of security technology.
"We have changed the practice of catch and release to catch and return," Congressman Wamp said. "Since last year, 96% of people coming across the southern border illegally are detained until they can be returned to their country of origin and that is a huge accomplishment."
The Secure Fence Act of 2006 passed the House and the Senate in late September.
Rep. Wamp said the law "is a bold first step in attending to the illegal immigration problem in this country."
"The Devil is in the details," Wamp said. "Americans want to be confident in the security of the border before addressing guest worker programs. This law will greatly slow the influx of illegals into the country and is the first of many necessary stages in dealing with this issue."
The President signed the Secure Border Act in a public ceremony at the White House.
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