Arizona now accepting donations to complete border fence; Democrats call legislation 'symbolic'
Sunday, May 8th 2011, 8:33 PM
John Moore/Getty
A group of young men walk along the Mexican side of the U.S.-Mexico border fence.
State Sen. Steve Smith, sponsor of a new bill aimed at bankrolling the additional fence, said the goal is to use online donations and prison labor to build beefed-up border security.
Donors to the cause may even be given certificates declaring they helped build the wall, Smith told reporters last week.
"I think it’s going to be a really, really neat thing," he said.
Gov. Jan Brewer signed a bill late last month allowing lawmakers to go through with the planned website where they will attempt to raise donations.
"If the website is up and there is an overwhelming response to what we've done and millions of dollars in this fund, I would see no reason why engineering or initial construction or finalized plans can't be accomplished," Smith told The Associated Press.
650 miles of fence already exists along America's border with Mexico, much of it in Arizona, a major gateway for illegal immigrants and drug trafficking. But that hasn't been enough for Arizona lawmakers -- including Sen. John McCain who in a 2010 interview about border control quipped part of the answer to securing Arizona was to "Complete the danged fence."
Brewer recently requested additional help from President Obama to secure the border.
The fence bill is just the latest legislation supported by Arizona Republicans in an effort to boost border security.
The state is already using public donations to support the legal defense of its controversial immigration legislation, SB1070, which requires immigrants carry registration papers. A federal judge issued an injunction on the enforcement of most of the controversial parts of that bill. Arizona has sought to reverse that decision in a federal appeals court.
Smith, a staunch anti-illegal immigration advocate, has often spoken out for increased funding for border protection, even as Arizona is mired in a budget crisis. While passionate about the issue, his numbers haven't always been accurate.
In a May 5th debate to send more money to the Pinal County Sheriff to increase border security, Smith claimed "half of the illegals that come through the country go through Arizona and 80 percent of those go through Pinal County."
The Arizona Republic reported those facts were dubious, at best. In 2009, 44.7% of illegal immigrants apprehended by border patrol were indeed in Arizona -- but since 90% of illegal immigrants are apprehended within five miles of the border and Pinal County is 70 miles from the border, Smith's 80% figure is doubtful.
Democrats called the legislation nothing more than “symbolic” in the April 18 debate.
"If we are here to pass symbolic legislation and not really address border security, SB1406 does the job. But people don't benefit from symbolic legislation," Democratic Rep. Catherine Miranda of Phoenix said.
With News Wire Services
nmandell@nydailynews.com
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