WASHINGTON — Legislation authorizing 700 miles of fencing along the southern U.S. border was signed into law by President Bush on Thursday in a ceremony that underscored Republican divisions over immigration policy and left unanswered whether the entire barrier would be built.
Flanked by House Majority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) and other Republicans who blocked his bid for a broader overhaul of immigration law, Bush used the opportunity to push back. "We have more to do," the president said during the low-key event.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Monday October 30, 2006 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 1 inches; 37 words Type of Material: Correction
Border fence law: A map of the U.S.-Mexico border in Friday's Section A, accompanying an article about President Bush's signing of a bill authorizing fencing there, should have had a scale of 100 miles, not five miles.
Promises by GOP leaders to alter the law when Congress reconvenes after the Nov. 7 election -- in addition to a lack of funding set aside for the fence -- have cast doubt on how much of it ultimately will be built. Changes to the measure would probably include giving local governments and private property owners the chance to raise objections over the fencing's location.
Bush did have words of praise for the fence bill, calling it "an important step toward immigration reform." But he made clear that he opposed the enforcement-only position taken by the House and favored instead the approach embraced by the Senate: tougher border security and work-site enforcement combined with a guest worker program and a path to citizenship for some of the nation's estimated 12 million illegal immigrants.
Bush said he looked forward to working with Congress on finding a "rational middle ground" between granting automatic citizenship to illegal immigrants and launching "a program of mass deportation."
He also said, "We must reduce pressure on our border by creating a temporary worker plan."
Some GOP leaders had pressed a reluctant White House for the signing ceremony so that as November's election nears, Republicans could promote the fence bill as an accomplishment, party aides said.
"House and Senate Republicans ... will stop the hemorrhaging along our nation's borders," said a statement by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) and House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.).
The House Republican leadership, in particular, views the fence not only as a needed security improvement but also as a powerful political statement that will win support for the party. Other Republicans, however, worry that it could cost the GOP support among Latino voters.
Mexican officials have harshly denounced the fence plan, and they continued their criticism Thursday.
