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In recent months there has been much discussion and speculation about the fence we're building along our southwestern border. As part of this discourse, Americans have been asking a number of thoughtful questions on this Journal and in other venues. For the sake of accuracy and fairness, I would like to cite some of the more crucial ones and provide the kinds of straightforward answers they deserve.

Why does America need a fence? Our country has an illegal immigration problem that challenges its sovereignty and security. While fencing is not a panacea, in some areas it does make guarding our homeland easier. It slows down illegal border crossers, buying our Border Patrol agents time to apprehend them before they can reach our nation's interior.

What kind of fence are we building and how much fencing is being built? We are constructing a combination of pedestrian and vehicle fencing.

More than 300 miles of literal fencing, including more than 167 miles of pedestrian fence and 134 miles of vehicle fence, have been laid down. We are on track to building a total of 670 miles of fencing by the end of this year.

[Photo]Are there places along the southwestern border where no physical fence will be constructed? In certain more remote areas, or areas with natural obstacles, we will install "virtual fencing" -- sensors, surveillance cameras and other kinds of technology -- in place of physical barriers.

What is P-28 and is it really being delayed for three years? P-28 stands for Project 28, a demonstration project involving one type of "virtual fencing" deployed along a 28-mile stretch in Arizona. It was designed to determine whether a certain kind of technology mix could be used to help secure the border.

Last summer, as part of the process, we discovered technical deficiencies. Those were corrected and last week, after successful field testing, our Department formally accepted P-28. Already, it has helped us identify and apprehend over 2,400 illegal aliens trying to cross the border since December.

Reports that we are delaying technology deployment across the border are overstated. We have been deploying and will continue to deploy solutions that will incorporate integrated radars and cameras, mobile surveillance systems, unattended ground sensors, unmanned and manned aviation assets, and an improved communications system.

We already have ground sensors in place and will acquire more of them in the coming year. We are also expanding our ground-based mobile surveillance systems.

[Photo]Why does it appear that the literal fence is taking a while to construct? Appearances can be deceiving and building is not as simple as it sounds. In order to build a pedestrian fence, for instance, a long period of preparatory work is needed. Holes must be dug, concrete poured, and posts and bollards dropped into the holes. Only then can the wire sheeting be laid between the bollards and an actual fence created.

That's one reason visible signs of progress occur in spurts. But we have built more fence this past year than in the previous 20 years.
Another reason is this: Before any of this happens, the land must be possessed, surveyed, and graded. There are environmental laws to contend with, as well as an occasional landowner who refuses to grant the United States government access to any of his land.

Despite these challenges, we remain on course to achieving our construction goals by year's end.

Why didn't someone explain this to us the way you just did? That's a very good question indeed.

Michael Chertoff