"COMPLETE THE DANGED FENCE"

"Complete the danged fence"  This comment by John McCain occurred on May 10, 2010, as he was running for the Republican nomination for President about the fence on our Southern border.*  I agree with McCain that the double fence will probably not slow illegal immigration much.  I suppose the first illegal over the fence will have to have two extension ladders, unless they can shimmy up the fence somehow (probably could with a chain link fence  and not need an extension ladder at all) or perhaps the fence can be dug under.**

Cost  The current 670 mi. of single layer fence cost $2.4 billion between 2006 and 2009.  The original authorization for the fence was $1.2 billion.  Congress has yet to authorize sufficient funds to finish a double layer fence.  The cost of the whole fence is estimated to be $4.1 billion.  There are also upkeep costs.  The cumulative cost for the first 10 years was $9 billion.*

Public Works Program  But the Gang Of  8 plan is a pretty decent new public works plan in that it would increase border agents from near  21,000 in 2012 to 40,000, an increase of nearly 19,000 new agents.  In addition there would be all the workers needed to construct the second fence (only 36.3 mi. of double fencing is completed), truck drivers to bring the fencing materials, and presumably more workers to make the fence materials, which when completed would be 700 mi. long of double fencing.  These costs are local and drive up the labor costs for scarce workers.  And, ahem, more land acquisition costs that vary widely.  Currently 649 mo. of fencing has  been completed of which 299 mi. of vehicle barriers and 350 mi. of pedestrian fencing.**

If I was dictator, this wouldn't be my first choice as a public works program as it may not be much better than hiring one shift to dig holes and the next shift to fill them in.  But the fence is acceptable to the opponents of the Gang Of Eight proposal that passed the Senate whereas digging holes or, better yet,  improving highways or the smart grid isn't.

How Good Are The Jobs  It appears that the new border control agents will be Civil Servants with permanent jobs and not contractors.***  How good are the jobs?  The entry levels will be at GS 5 ($34,075/yr with a top of $44,293), essentially a Bachelors degree; GS 7 ($42,209/yr with a top of $54,875), one year of graduate school: and GS 9 ($51,630 with a top at $67,114), two years of graduate school or a Master's degree.****  Law enforcement officers may get special salary rates and locality pay.  There is a 6.5 month probationary period after which it may be possible to be promoted to the next higher level.  Only the GS 9 job starts above the median household income level.

* I've previously mentioned the works program aspect of building the fence before: http://stopcontinentaldrift.blogspot.com/2013/06/cold-war-on-our-southern-border.html.
 Also see: http://stopcontinentaldrift.blogspot.com/2013/06/immigrant-apprehensions-by-year-and.html
** http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secure_Fence_Act_of_2006
http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/06/21/19062298-price-tag-for-700-miles-of-border-fencing-high-and-hard-to-pin-down?lite
*** http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/careers/customs_careers/border_careers/bp_agent/faqs_working_for_the_usbp.xml#PayandBenefits
**** http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/1100/contracting-series-1102/