By AZ Border Defenders:

On April 23rd Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signed House Bill 2462 which authorizes the state to build a “virtual border fence”. The “virtual fence” would include radar and video sensors on approx 300 towers along 375 miles of the border. The sensors could be monitored by both the public and law enforcement.

There are two problems with this. The first is there was no money attached to the bill to build the “fence”. The second is fences, whether they are virtual or “real” do not stop anyone from crossing the border. The fence still needs to be backed up with Border Patrol or some sort of law enforcement to physically stop drug and human smugglers.

A real fence provides an obstacle to border crossers that can be gone over, under or even through. A “virtual” fence makes it easier to detect illegal crossing. A bill authorizing the state to build a fence that does not have any money attached to build the fence; and most importantly does nothing to increase the number of agents to respond to illegal border crossings is completely pointless.