When Eyes Get to the Border

This "walling off the border" stuff is tricky, even without the bricks and mortar and barbed wire:

Because of a software glitch, the first high-tech "virtual fence" on the nation's borders remains inoperable, three months after its scheduled debut.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said he is withholding further payment to the prime contractor, Boeing Co., until the success of the pilot project stretching 28 miles near the border southwest of Tucson.

Nine 98-foot towers laden with radar, sensors and sophisticated cameras have been built in an area heavily trafficked by illegal immigrant and drug smugglers. The towers, each a few miles apart, are intended to deter or detect border crossers and potential terrorists and enhance the ability of Border Patrol agents to catch them.

………………
About three-fourths of the $20 million cost for the 28-mile project has been paid, homeland security officials said……..

Full story from AP.

Malia Politzer from the April reason on the general futility of border control. 

Comments

[thoreau]

I agree with MikeP.

[MikeP]

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said he is withholding further payment to the prime contractor, Boeing Co., until the success of the pilot project

Since from my perspective Boeing Co. is nothing but a subcontractor of my prime contractor, the United States government, I'm going to try this little trick with my taxes.

[joe]

Those pesky Germans will never get around THIS!

[Wikinger Elch]

Vhy iz zees vall hier? somebody must go back und get a schittload of dimes. Vee vill get on by zees!

[ed]

Why not erect giant ray-gun towers? Sure, we were reluctant to use this weapon against Iraqis, but these are Mexicans!

[VM]

oh, ed... "erect"... you so went there!

[J sub D]

Those pesky Germans will never get around THIS!

Good point. Here's another. The communists in E. Germany were willing to shoot people crossing the border. It didn't stop people from trying. Possibly catching them and sending them back to try again, certainly doesn't seem very promising. What a waste of 20 megabucks.

[joe]

Come on, link to the Bullshit episode where the illegal immigrant laborers take all day to build a border fence according to federal standards, and then take 12 minutes to go over, under, and through it.

That was awesome.

[Jim Henley]

Allusion of the Day Award goes to Doherty!

[MikeP]

"We are now looking to begin acceptance testing in about a month," Chertoff said - meaning the point at which contracting officials give the go-ahead for testing - "and we will then kick the tires again."

Apparently the biggest problem is that, due to recent crackdowns by the ICE weasels, Boeing can't hire enough illegal immigrants to test the system out.

There's also trouble due to tissue rejection of the RFID chips. And even after they solve that one, they still haven't solved the problem of how to implant the RFID chips in all prospective illegal immigrants. They tell us that they'll use the chips not for tracking, but only for differentiating Latinos seeking labor from terrorists bent on actual harm to the US. But they're probably lying...

[Another Phil]

There's also trouble due to tissue rejection of the RFID chips.

Are you sure? I work at an animal shelter, and we implant RFID chips in every animal that comes through there. I've never heard of any infection developing because of it. Then again dogs and cats' skin is much looser than people's, and the chips get surrounded by scar tissue between the skin and underlying muscles.

Also, if they can implant a pacemaker in someone's chest without having to give them immunosuppressant drugs, shouldn't they be able to do the same with RFID chips.

I would think the main problem would be the ease with which someone could just dig the chip out.

[TLB]

The communists in E. Germany were willing to shoot people crossing the border. It didn't stop people from trying.

I'm going to have to double-check, but I think Mexicans won't be quite so motivated, considering the (relatively minor, of course) differences between that country and a Communist dictatorship.

As for RFID, it's those who promote anarchy - like the corporatist "libertarians" at Reason - who are assisting the rise of those who'll "solve" the problem of anarchy, like Ruuuuudy.

And, of course, fences are not futile and have nothing to do with the instant technological issues. Fences will, however, help cut down on border deaths.

Of course, to the "libertarians" here that's a minor issue considering that they'll also cost crooked businesses money.

[MikeP]

I would think the main problem would be the ease with which someone could just dig the chip out.

But people won't want to dig them out. When the project gets to Phase III (Fire Upon Detection), it's the people without the RFID chips who will be fired upon!

Yes, yes, you could simply have the harmless border crossers stand in line for visas at ports of entry or consulates. But then how could Boeing run a $69 million pilot project on that?

[MexicanGovernment]

LoneWacko, my ArchNemesis! You will NotWin ForLong. Soon the NAFTASuperHighway will be built, and we're MakingSure it goes through YourHouse. YouCannotHide!

[Rhywun]

Come on, link to the Bullshit episode where the illegal immigrant laborers take all day to build a border fence according to federal standards, and then take 12 minutes to go over, under, and through it.

Yeah, and I think "under" is going to turn out to be the most successful strategy in the long run. Even we can't be stupid enough to waste money on searching for camouflaged exits on every inch of ground within a few hundred yards of both sides of the fence....

[TGGP]

Why don't we just do what Eisenhower did? I'm all in favor of a wall though, both here and in Israel. Walls for everyone!

[MikeP]

Why don't we just do what Eisenhower did?

Construct a superhighway?

[highnumber]

Why don't we just do what Eisenhower did?

Screw our chauffeurs?

Mine? He's not even that hot.

And he only exists in my mind.

Ach, well, fine. I'll be in Stevo's bunk, but it's gonna take a while.

[The Wine Commonsewer]

Well High, I can tell you that it just didn't work out all that well with Stevo. We're still friends and it is complicated.........

[The Wine Commonsewer]

Dude, they even called it Operation Wet Back?

Times have changed, eh?

[The Wine Commonsewer]

....the general futility of border control.

Oh, if the US wants border control, it can be achieved. Just ask East Germany about that. The issue is the political will and the money.

[joe]

As for RFID, it's those who promote anarchy - like the corporatist "libertarians" at Reason - who are assisting the rise of those who'll "solve" the problem of anarchy, like Ruuuuudy.

Oh, cripes, can you just send Bad Cop back in?