Senate Sends Mixed Messages on Immigration Reform

By John Gibson

We're all preoccupied with the war in the Middle East, so it's probably not unusual that we've taken our eye off the immigration story. However, that is no excuse for the U.S. Senate to take back a promise on its immigration reform law.

The Senate promised to build a 370-mile fence on the border with Mexico as part of a plan to shore up the most porous sections of the 2,000-mile southern border. The 370-mile fence is about a fifth of what needs to be done, but the experts told the Senate it was enough for now. A good down payment.

So the Senate voted for it. As you know, immigration reform is now in the hands of a conference committee of the Senate and House — not big hopes there since the House is dead set against a Senate plan which is heavy on guest-worker programs and light on border enforcement.

Thursday's vote is going to make it worse. That's because even though the Senate voted for 370 miles of fence, Thursday it voted down a proposal to actually spend the money to build it.