Fence between US and Mexico

Dear Gabacho,

I heard that we're building a fence between us and Mexico. What's going on with that?

Wondering in Washington (state)

Dear Wondering,

The border between the United States and Mexico is a diverse stretch of land 1,950 miles long that runs between the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, crossing desert, mountains, Indian reservation, gorges, rivers, and high density urban areas. On October 26, 2006 the Secure Fence Act was enacted, which instructed the Department of Homeland Security to secure about one-third of the 1,950-mile border between US and Mexico with 700 miles of double-layered fencing. As of February 2008, 302 miles of barrier have been constructed mostly on federal land in Arizona, New Mexico, and California, and slightly over half (approx. 165 miles) of this has been built under the new law. Is the fence good or bad or even working? That seems to depend largely on whom you ask and where you live. The Christian Science Monitor has a very interesting article and a three part audio series (approx. 2.5 minutes each) about the fence. Most interesting is the diversity of opinions on the fence from the people that live and work near it everyday.