Arizona no longer has to wait for the federal government to finish building a fence along the Mexico border. A new law that goes into effect July 20 allows the state to build the fence itself, as long as it can raise enough private donations and persuade public and private landowners to let them do it on their property. Now, state officials have to figure out how to get it done. No other state has tried such a tactic. Sen. Steve Smith, R-Maricopa, who sponsored the legislation, will meet with Gov. Jan Brewer's staff today to start discussing logistics.
Much of the Arizona border is federal or Indian-reservation land, with small portions belonging to private landowners. Smith said he would talk to the governor's staff today about asking for permission to build the fence within the federal government's 60-foot easement along the border. But Smith said after President Obama's comments last week that the border fence is "now basically complete," he doesn't expect help from that administration. "That's an insult and a lie," Smith said. "Look at what constitutes a fence: two sticks and barbed wire throughout a large portion of the border in Arizona."
State lawmakers who supported the measure have said they want a consistent fence along the entire border that is solid, consists of multiple layers and is tall enough to keep out pedestrians. Arizona's southern border is about 370 miles long. About a third of that, mostly in the western part of the state between Yuma and Nogales, does have the type of fence lawmakers want. But the rest has either no fencing or has fencing, designed to keep out vehicles, that is a few feet tall and made of barbed wire or wood posts.
"People will say fences don't really work, but talk to Yuma," Smith said, explaining that most of the illegal immigrants now flow into the eastern part of Arizona between Nogales and New Mexico. "To have true security, you'll want ground radar and more manpower, but a fence is a great impediment." Brewer spokesman Matthew Benson said the governor has been frustrated with the pace of construction of the federal border fence and supported this law's policy. "There are potentially hurdles involved," Benson said. "But if enough private donations come in, this can be something that is a step in the right direction."
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Arizona aims to build border fence
