The congressionally mandated double fence along the U.S. boundary with Mexico is being double-crossed, proponents for a secured border contend.

But, Democratic U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, whose 8th Congressional District includes the part of the border many say is a sieve for  human and smuggling, said a single strong fence is sufficient.

Richard Humphries and Glenn Spencer disagree, both noting when President Barack Obama was a senator from Illinois, he supported the 2006 law requiring a double fence.

While the U.S. Senate recently passed another bill calling for the completion of the double fence, Giffords has joined six other representatives calling on Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to keep the double fence on the U.S.-Mexico border out of the spending bill for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The House version of the spending bill does not require completion of a double border fence that was in the Senate version, and the bill now goes before a House and Senate conference committee.

Giffords was the only Arizona representative to sign the letter last week to Pelosi, joining four House members from Texas and two from California.

One of the signers of the letter is U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes of Texas, who served in the U.S. Border Patrol for more than 26 years and retired as a sector chief for the area between McAllen and El Paso.

He also chairs the House Select Committee on Intelligence.

Of him, Giffords said with his Border Patrol experience and his work in the intelligence arena, if Reyes says one fence is enough, it’s from a more than knowledgeable source.

Others against the double fence, especially those in Texas, claim it will divide private land and public property on the U.S. side of the border to the detriment of land owners and government entities.

One solid fence is as good as a double fence, except in some urban areas, Giffords said.

The cost for putting in a double fence is prohibitive and takes away from other border security needs such as better ports of entries and using high-tech systems such as cameras and sensors, she said during a Saturday interview with Wick News Service..

“Even the Border Patrol does not believe a double fence is needed,” the Arizona congresswoman said.

Noting illegal traffic is down, Giffords said that indicates the single fence is working.

Not true, said Spencer, who heads the American Border Patrol, which is not associated with the U.S. Border Patrol.

In many areas along the border, including in Arizona, the single fence isn’t completed and the vehicle barriers are not stopping much illegal traffic from crossing the border, he said, adding the illegal traffic is down more because of the current economic conditions than the fence.

What works?

When it comes to the double fence line, the one in the San Diego area is the success story, proving it worked before the economy tanked, Spencer said. He lives in Palominas area near the border.

With a double fence, with each one at least 50 feet apart, those engaged in illegal activities cannot cross the border, as they can still do when there is only a single fence, he said.

Humphries is upset with Giffords for signing the letter.

Calling her actions a betrayal of promises to secure the border, the former Scottsdale police officer and member of the Arizona Department of Public Safety narcotics office, said, “I’m confused and angry by her lip service.”

Giffords defended her signing the letter emphasizing the costs saved from putting up a double fence will be better used in other ways to secure the border.

Calling the single fence line, which is not completed,  “better than nothing,” Humphries said he has called the Border Patrol on many occasions to report illegal immigrants in the Elfrida area.

He does not see that much of a drop.

In his letter to the congresswoman he wrote:

“Double layering fencing has proven to be quite effective and, if you are the least bit serious about protecting American from illegal crossing(s), you will do everything you can to see that much more is constructed.”

Both Spencer and Humphries made their comments Monday during Herald/Review telephone interviews.

Giffords said the cost associated with putting up a double fence along the entire border would cost more than a billion dollars and although some of the high-tech systems are still not working well, she believes that the single fence and the technology are the best way to secure the border.

Admittedly “there is still a lot of work still to be done,” she said.

 At a Glance

Health care reform

During Democratic U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords time in Cochise County on Saturday, she spoke with Wick News Service about concerns expressed by veterans involving the future of TRICARE under the proposed national health care bill now before Congress.

Saying she had read all 1,018 pages of the proposed health care reform measure, the congresswoman said veterans who are on TRICARE would not be required to pay any costs for their medical treatments.

While the health insurance program for veterans is mentioned in the bill, the proposal is to reopen a period so those who did not avail themselves of joining in the special program can do so, she said.

“TRICARE and TRICARE for Life are unchanged,” the congresswoman said.

Immigration

Immigration reform will have to be addressed by Congress soon, and Giffords said and it will be an emotional issue in both chambers.

All the immigration issues, including how to handle those who are in the country illegally and how to better allow for legal immigration cannot be ignored, she said.

In the past, she said she does not support amnesty for those who are in the country illegally as was done in the last major rework of the nation’s immigration law signed  into law  by then Republican President Ronald Reagan.

Employee verification is critical when it comes to checking on the status of potential illegal immigrants being hired.Other immigration issues that must be continentally addressed, and which the congresswoman said she either has sponsored or supports, are:

• Ensuring states are provided funds to cover costs for criminal activities by illegal immigrants.

• Requiring penalties for those involved in using tunnels to smuggle people, drugs, weapons, terrorists or other goods into the United States.

• Requiring the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to report on apprehension, detention and deportations, along with other documentation.

• Seeking a border health care act that will provide support to medical facilities and others in providing health assistance to illegal immigrants so that local American taxpayers don’t have to bear those expenses.

Economy

On another issue, when it comes to the multi-billion dollar federal economic stimulus measure, 40 percent of the money went to reduce taxes, mostly for the middle class,  and the rest to help the economy, she said, adding the program is working but it will take time for the results to be seen. Many people are confusing the stimulus with the laws that provided bailout assistance for financial institutions and the auto industry, Giffords said noting “I did not vote for the auto bailout bill.”

Region

Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill to provide funds  for energy and water projects in Southeastern Arizona.

Of the $7.2 million approved $600,000 is for the Upper San Pedro Partnership to do a Sierra Vista Subwatershed Augmentation Feasibility Study, according to Democratic U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who sponsored the bill.

The money will support review of a number of augmentation projects suggested by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation in June 2007.

The bill still has to be considered by the U.S. Senate.