Do Big Fences Make Better Neighbors?

By DAVID ELLIS

Hispanic immigrant-support groups in California are indignant about the latest U.S. attempt to seal the border with Mexico. In mid-June military reservists began placing thick steel sheets along a 14-mile stretch between Tijuana and San Diego County. The metal is surplus landing-strip material from the gulf war. Some residents on both sides find the wall offensive, but the U.S. stands firm. "The Immigration and Naturalization Service is simply trying to do what it can with a limited budget," says a U.S. embassy official.

With reporting by Sidney Urquhart