Chertoff Suspends More than 30 Laws

April 8, 2008
Chertoff Suspends More than 30 Laws

Securing the nation's borders is so important, Congress says, that Michael Chertoff, the homeland security secretary, must have the power to ignore any laws that stand in the way of building a border fence. Any laws at all.

Last week, Mr. Chertoff issued waivers suspending more than 30 laws he said could interfere with "the expeditious construction of barriers" in Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas. The list included laws protecting the environment, endangered species, migratory birds, the bald eagle, antiquities, farms, deserts, forests, Native American graves and religious freedom.

Border Fence To Bypass Property Of Wealthy Oilman Who Donated $35 Million To Bush Library

February 19, 2008
Border Fence To Bypass Property Of Wealthy Oilman Who Donated $35 Million To Bush Library

DHS has no problem pursuing elderly and struggling homeowners. In the small town of Granjeno (pop. 313), however, the border fence would, conveniently, "abruptly end" at the property owned by Dallas billionaire Ray L. Hunt.

It's not surprising that the administration would be hesitant to upset Hunt, who was a Bush-Cheney campaign "Pioneer" in 2000. More recently, Hunt "donated $35 million to Southern Methodist University to help build Bush's presidential library." In 2001, Bush appointed Hunt to his Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board, granting him "a security clearance and access to classified intelligence."