After a much-maligned first iteration, the “virtual” border fence along the Mexico-U.S. border is getting a second chance. The system relies on pole cameras, radar and communications system which replace the current, outmoded sensor system. The virtual fence takes its place alongside 600 miles of physical border fence, and is augmented by 18,000 Border Patrol agents.
The primary contractor for the fence is Boeing, who was also the contractor for failed Virtual Fence 1.0. If that seems weird, it just means you don’t follow politics all that closely.
Stimulus money is being used to accelerate construction. Government officials hope to cover the entire Arizona-Mexico border by 2012. While this is dubious as stimulus, it’s more useful than “stimulus” payments to ACORN.
Crossposted from: Immigration Policy Daily
Boeing failing and being rewarded with more cash? See, you coulda brought up missile defense here and got a nice Eastern Europe tie-in…
Actually, missile defense has been doing pretty well in recent years…