The Department of Homeland Security will run out of money this year for a border fence along the U.S.-Mexico border, the House Homeland Security Committee was told on Wednesday.

The Secure Border Initiative is a combination of physical barriers and a "virtual" fence of cameras and sensors. The cost of the project has been alternatively reported as $2.7 billion to $3.5 billion.

The fence will block the Tigua Tribe of Texas from a sacred site on the Rio Grande. Tribal members must go to the site every year to renew their government.

The Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona, whose reservation lies on the border, also objects to the fence. The tribe says it hasn't been consulted, something which Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff has disputed.

Get the Story:
Delay Seen for Fence At U.S.-Mexico Line (The Washington Post 9/11)
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Border Fence Is Not Likely to Be Done by Year’s End (The New York Times 9/11)
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House Hearing:
Mismanagement, Missteps, and Missed Benchmarks: Why the Virtual Fence Has Not Become a Reality (September 10, 2008)

Related Stories:
Tohono O'odham Nation challenges border fence (7/16)
ICT interview with Homeland Security Secretary (7/11)
Tohono O'odham chair upset with Homeland Security (6/23)
Tigua Tribe to join lawsuit over US-Mexico fence (5/28)
Editorial: Fence infringes on Tigua Tribe's rights (5/15)
Border fence blocks Tigua Tribe from sacred site (5/14)
House Resources Committee hearing on border fence (4/28)
Environmental laws waived for fence along border (4/2)
Border fence exempted from NAGPRA, other laws (11/21)
Rider waives NAGPRA, sacred site protections (10/26)