Is Fencing the Answer to the Immigration Issue?
Should Congress agree on a comprehensive immigration reform bill, the requirement to build a 2,000 mile steel-column fence on the Southwest border of the United States could be included in that bill. Many land owners in the area are offended by the prospect of the government seizing more land in the southernmost tip of Texas and most would prefer to simply increase the number of agents patrolling the border rather than have the fence built on their land.
Many Texas representatives believe building the fence makes no sense as there is little research which backs up the effectiveness of such a fence. Farmers who live near the current stretch of fence report immigrants scaling the 18-foot steel columns in mere seconds. Considering that this type of fencing averages $3.9 million dollars per mile, it would certainly be in the best interests of the U.S. government to determine whether it would actually work before spending that kind of taxpayer money.
Texas Lands Owned by Private Citizens
A stretch of border land in Southern California includes two layers of fencing along with coils of razor wire at the top as well as towers which provide 24-hour surveillance. Additionally, ground sensors alert border agents when anyone attempts to cross. The majority of the lands slated for border fencing in California, Arizona and New Mexico are already publicly owned however in Texas the majority happen to be privately-owned farmlands. Condemnation proceedings began in 2008 and are still ongoing for many of those Texas lands.
Texas’ Unique Tie to Immigration
It is estimated that within a decade Hispanics will become the largest ethnic group in Texas and that this group who often lean toward the Democratic party could completely re-shape Texas politics. In fact, immigration is hardly an easy subject to ignore in Texas as approximately 16% of the undocumented immigrants in the United States live in Texas, meaning immigration has a definite impact on the state’s infrastructure. While most Americans will have a definite opinion on immigration laws, the fact is that those who are in the country illegally but want to become a U.S. citizen need help from an experienced Houston immigration lawyer.
Immigration law is often considered as complex as tax law, therefore those who want to find the best path to citizenship are likely to need solid legal advice. There are a variety of new laws in the area of immigration including the fact that the USCIS will now accept family-based petitions filed on behalf of same-sex couples by a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident. Many of those who attempt to navigate the immigration process on their own become extremely frustrated. Their case may be barely moving along or may seem to be stalled out completely. A knowledgeable Houston immigration lawyer may be able to efficiently process your petition, send case reports to keep you informed, remain readily accessible to you and help you choose the best avenue to gain citizenship.