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Bush signs Mexico fence into law Bush signs Mexico fence into law
(20 minutes later)
US President George W Bush has authorised 700 miles (1,125km) of new fencing along the US-Mexico border. US President George W Bush has authorised 700 miles (1,125km) of new fencing along the US-Mexico border, in a move to curb illegal immigration.
Supporters of the plan say it will be key to tackling illegal immigration, likely to be a key issue in next month's mid-term elections. Mr Bush said the US had not been in control of the border for decades.
But Mexican officials have opposed the fence, with outgoing President Vicente Fox calling it "shameful" and likening it to the Berlin Wall. Illegal immigration is expected to be a major question in next month's US mid-term elections.
About 10m Mexicans are thought to live in the US, some 4m of them illegally. Mexican officials have opposed the fence, with outgoing President Vicente Fox calling it "shameful" and likening it to the Berlin Wall.
An estimated 1.2m illegal immigrants were arrested last year trying to cross into the US via the border states of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California. About 10 million Mexicans are thought to live in the US, some four million of them illegally.
An estimated 1.2 million illegal immigrants were arrested last year trying to cross into the US via the border states of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California.
Nation of immigrants
In signing the Secure Fence Act 2006 into law, Mr Bush said that his government would tackle illegal immigration by means of increased funding and numbers of immigration officials.
He said that remote cameras, satellites and unmanned aerial vehicles would also be used to create a "21st-century" border with Mexico.
"We're modernising the southern border of the United States so we can assure the American people we are doing our job of securing our border," he said.
"Ours is a nation of immigrants. We're also a nation of law.
"Unfortunately the United States has not been in complete control of its borders for decades. Therefore illegal immigration has been on the rise."
But Mr Bush promised to balance the tightening of the border with a temporary guest worker programme and moves to grant eventual citizenship to some of the illegal immigrants already in the US.
Those moves are opposed by many within his own Republican party.
'Not impenetrable''Not impenetrable'
The BBC's Nick Miles in Washington says that, though few US congressmen have questioned the need for some action to reduce illegal migration, many have queried how effective the fence will be.The BBC's Nick Miles in Washington says that, though few US congressmen have questioned the need for some action to reduce illegal migration, many have queried how effective the fence will be.
TJ Bonner, president of the National Border Patrol Council, a union representing patrol agents, told Associated Press that it would not be enough on its own.TJ Bonner, president of the National Border Patrol Council, a union representing patrol agents, told Associated Press that it would not be enough on its own.
"A fence will slow people down by a minute or two, but if you don't have the agents to stop them it does no good. We're not talking about some impenetrable barrier," he said."A fence will slow people down by a minute or two, but if you don't have the agents to stop them it does no good. We're not talking about some impenetrable barrier," he said.
Mr Bush himself believes that tougher border security should be accompanied by moves to help legalise the status of the illegal migrants currently in the US.
But those moves are opposed by many within his own Republican party.
Mexico has promised to challenge the fence at the United Nations and on Wednesday presented a declaration against the policy to the UN's Human Rights Council, supported by 27 other Latin American and Caribbean nations.Mexico has promised to challenge the fence at the United Nations and on Wednesday presented a declaration against the policy to the UN's Human Rights Council, supported by 27 other Latin American and Caribbean nations.
Part of the funding for the fence is likely to come from the $1.2bn (£0.6bn) set aside for it in a recent homeland security bill, but the full cost may be greater and the source of the funding is still unclear, according to our correspondent.Part of the funding for the fence is likely to come from the $1.2bn (£0.6bn) set aside for it in a recent homeland security bill, but the full cost may be greater and the source of the funding is still unclear, according to our correspondent.