Legal Commentary

The difference between an American border fence and a European border fence

By Stewart Baker

They only look the same.  But the difference is clear.  An American border fence isn?t reasonable; it treats ordinary people like criminals.  A European border fence, in contrast, is an unfortunate ?short-term measure? that supplements more structural solutions. 

Here?s what Brussels is saying today about Greece?s fence: 

The Greek government says it plans to build a fence along part of its border with Turkey to try to stop illegal immigrants from crossing into the country.

But the announcement was met with a warning from European Union Commission spokesperson Michele Cercone.

?Fences and walls have in the past proven to be really short term measures that do not really help addressing and managing the migratory pressures in more consolidated and structural way,? said Cercone.

http://www.voanews.com/english/news/Greece-Plans-to-Build-Controversial-Border-Wall-112933139.html

Moral clarity was somehow easier for the European Union to find a few years ago, when Javier Solana, the EU?s foreign policy chief was needlessly injecting himself into the debate about our border fence:

?A wall that separates one country from another is not something that I like or that the European Union members like,? Solana said at a news conference in Mexico City. ?We don?t think walls are reasonable instruments to stop people from crossing into a country.?

The EU believes immigrants should be treated ?like people, not like criminals,? he said.

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8OIPMHG0&show_article=1

Time for an American moral-preening speech in Istanbul about the evils of border walls?

Full post as published by The Volokh Conspiracy on January 05, 2011 (boomark / email).