Texas mayors want wider Rio Grande

[smoogatz]

BROWNSVILLE, Texas (Reuters) - Texan mayors opposed to a planned border fence with Mexico want to widen and deepen the Rio Grande river instead, and say it will be more effective in keeping out illegal immigrants.

The U.S. government aims to build 700 miles of new fencing along the frontier with Mexico to boost security and try to stem the tide of immigration from the south.

But the Texas stretch of the fence, which would be built on the Rio Grande's desert flood plain, would cut off some ranchers' access to the river, the main source of fresh water in the arid region. Mayors say it would also damage trade and centuries-old ties with Mexico.

Several mayors have also proposed stocking the river with crocodiles, and constructing viewing stations complete with coin-operated binoculars every half-mile or so along the American side of the river, so that tourists could enjoy the spectacle of illegal-immigrants being devoured. "We think it'll be a real crowd pleaser," said Jethro Pudwhacker, mayor of Poontang, TX, a small border town.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071113/pl_nm/usa_border_wall_dc

OKay, I wrote the last paragraph myself. But still...