US to wall up Mexico border
2005-12-16 12:21
Washington - The House of Representatives voted on Thursday to build a wall along the US border with Mexico to stop illegal immigration.
The 260-159 voice vote on an amendment to a bill on illegal immigration "mandates the construction of specific security fencing, including lights and cameras, along the Southwest border for the purposes of gaining operational control of the border.
"Fencing has been designated in sectors that have the highest number of immigrant deaths, instances of drug smuggling and illegal border crossings," because of the large number of would-be immigrants who die in the desert attempting to cross the US border.
The US border with Canada was not forgotten. The bill "includes a requirement for the Secretary of Homeland Security to conduct a study on the use of physical barriers along the Northern border".
The US-Mexico border is 3 200 kilometres long.
- AFP