Congressman wants Mexican border fence

SAN DIEGO, Nov. 5 (UPI) -- A California congressman is calling for the construction of an $8 billion fence along the 2,000-mile U.S. border with Mexico to stop illegal immigrants.

Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter said he will introduce a bill as early as next week to authorize construction of a high-security fence with 25 new ports of entry, the San Diego Union Tribune reported Saturday.

Hunter's plan calls for a dual-layer construction equipped with electric sensors stretching from the Pacific Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico.

"Regardless of what this legislation as a whole will cost, the idea is that it is going to save us money in the end," said Joe Kasper, Hunter's press secretary. "What illegal immigration costs us each year is overwhelming. That is something we can all agree on."

However, leaders of the union that represents Border Patrol agents don't think a fence would accomplish much.

"It gives (taxpayers) something visible they can wrap their arms around, so they can say 'Here are my tax dollars at work,'" said T.J. Bonner, president of the National Border Patrol Council. "These high visibility things, these are feel-good things that really do very little to correct the problem. It's the jobs, stupid."