- Tortilla Wall
The Tortilla Wall is a term given to a 14 mile (22.5 kilometer) section of
United States border fence between theOtay Mesa Border Crossing in San Diego, California and thePacific Ocean fact|date=February 2008.This "San Diego wall" was completed in the early 1990s. While there are other walls at various points along the border, the Tortilla Wall is the longest to date. No other wall sections have evolved distinct names, so "The Tortilla Wall" is often used to describe the entire set of walled defensive structures.
The Tortilla Wall is marked with graffiti, crosses, photos and remembrances of migrants dead from trying to illegally enter the United States.
Effectiveness
The effectiveness of the wall has been significant according to U.S. Congressional [http://frwebgate2.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/waisgate.cgi?WAISdocID=24903138687+0+0+0&WAISaction=retrieve testimony]
"...apprehensions along the region with a security fence dropped from 202,000 in 1992 to 9,000 in 1994."
The building of the tortilla wall is generally considered by Mexicans to be an unfriendly gesture.Fact|date=February 2007 It is a symbol of the controversial immigration issue. It is argued that the wall simply forces illegal border crossings to be moved to the more dangerous area of the Arizona desert.Fact|date=February 2007
The Future of the Tortilla Wall
In 2006, the U.S. Congress voted [http://www.rules.house.gov/109_2nd/text/hr6061/1092nd_hr6061.pdf The Secure Fence Act of 2006] which authorized spending $1.2 billion to build 700 miles (1,100 km) of additional fencing on the southern border facing Mexico. Additional fencing would lend some plausibility that the Tortilla Wall will continue to have support on the U.S. side.
Anecdotal Wall Stories
Tunnels under the wall are still a popular way to cross the border. Some tunnels are quite sophisticated. One such tunnel created by smugglers ran from
Tijuana to San Diego, was a half mile long, and included a concrete floor as well as electricity. [ [http://www.globalsecurity.org/security/systems/mexico-wall.htm US-Mexico Border Fence / Great Wall of Mexico ] ] Other tunnels have included steel rails, while some tunnels are simply dirt passageways or connect to sewer or drain systems. [ [http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20061010-1000-bn10tunnel3.html SignOnSanDiego.com > News > Metro - Border crossing goes awry when man gets stuck in tunnel exit ] ]As a stunt, a circus cannon was placed on the south side of the wall and an acrobat was blasted over the wall into the
Border Field State Park in the U.S. He had his passport with him. [ [http://www.worldgolf.com/course-reviews/mexico/tijuana-country-club-mexico-1429.htm Tijuana Country Club - Tijuana, Mexico golf course review ] ]ee also
Related walls and barriers
*Israeli West Bank barrier References
External links
* [http://www.otaymesa.org/ab_otay/port_of_entry.html Otay Mesa Port of Entry]
* [http://www.bts.gov/help/border_crossing_entry_data.html Bureau of Transportation Statistics Border Crossing Information]
* http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20061010-1000-bn10tunnel3.html
* http://www.worldgolf.com/course-reviews/mexico/tijuana-country-club-mexico-1429.htm
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