Pete Sessions: “the requirements of fencing, additional Border Patrol agents, bedspaces for those who have been detained who come here…”

“the requirements of fencing, additional Border Patrol agents, bedspaces for those who have been detained who come here illegally are not there as an end in themselves. Our goal-- our real goal--must be to create a change in the mindset of what is happening at the border, to reach that tipping point in which the world knows our borders are not wide open, that it is exceedingly difficult to penetrate them illegally and they are unlikely to be successful. As a result, we can move from the current situation--in which over a million people last year were arrested coming into our country illegally--and see those numbers drop off, to reach that tipping point, where the world knows that border is not open. We have talked about it for all the 10 years since I have been in the Senate. Presidents have talked about it. They have campaigned on it. Members have talked about it. But we have not done anything about it. That is why the American people are not happy with us. So I think this legislation will do some things of significance. It will fund 700 miles at the border and complete that process. Why it has taken as long as it has I am not sure, but work is being done right now, although not a lot has been accomplished so far. I am told that pretty soon we will see the fencing come up that we have authorized and that the work is continuing on. So it will be 700 miles. That is really progress, I have to say, but it is not the final installment.”