Bush signs U.S.-Mexico border security bill

U.S. President George W. Bush on Thursday signed a homeland security bill to give 1.2 billion U.S. dollars to build a fence along the U.S.-Mexico border to stanch the flow of illegal immigrants.

Addressing a ceremony in Scottsdale, Arizona, Bush said the bill would modernize border protection by adding fencing, vehicle barriers, infrared cameras and ground-based radars.

"That's what the people of this country want. They want to know that we're modernizing the border so we can better secure the border," he said before signing a 33.8-billion-dollar Homeland Security funding bill that includes money for immigration measures.

Bush signed the bill, which also provides money to hire 1,500 new border patrol agents.

U.S. Congress approved last week a bill calling for the barrier, which would cover one-third of the border, and also voted for a Homeland Security funding bill that includes the 1.2 billion U.S. dollars for fencing and vehicle barriers.

The fence's cost has been estimated to cost up to six billion U.S. dollars.

Source: Xinhua