Others have said a lot of what I would say, but also the wall doesn't do anything to tackle the biggest problem of folks overstaying their visas. I would rather put money into stopping the biggest problems. A wall doesn't stop where most narcotics are entering, nor does it stop the illegal overstaying of visas.
Mechanisms that have already been in place for decades and have resulted in an extremely porous border. So, yes, a suggestion for more of the same.
Some of these have done, and illegal immigration numbers have declined. So now adding more technology, and hiring more agents (there are already unfilled positions) will further reduce illegal immigration. Then toughening hiring laws (which are really weak and barely enforced) and you takeaway a big part of the magnet. All common sense solutions, possible right away without the time, expense, and negative impacts of trump's unpopular vanity wall.
Illegal immigration numbers decline for mulitple reasons and to not recognize that is disingenuous. The fact that numbers have declined does not mean the situation is anything close to acceptable. As I have pointed out many times, tens of thousands succeed every month and that has resulted in millions over the years. The apprehension rate is estimated at 50%. The border is not anywhere close to secure and never has been. You and others call a wall a waste of money. What I call a waste of money is the measures that we have used that have resulted in decades of a quasi-enforced border that is fairly easy to cross. You and others would see the status quo remain largely the same. You simply suggest more mechanisms that have been used and have resulted in the porous border we see today. They are not effective or genuine solutions. Trump did not come up with the idea of using a physical barrier to enforce the border. It is a legitimate solution, as evidenced by its current widespread use, that many have called for long before Trump.
What is the crisis effect of being wall-less in the frontiers over the last 25 years? not terrorism not losses of American jobs didn't effect drug trade much Violence of the drug trade stays mostly outside the border immigration rates dropping
If the Congress agreed and built a 30' high, steel rebar reinforced concrete wall coast to coast, it would take a year before people were screaming for a 50' wall. Next up would be 10' deep moat, followed by adding crocodiles to the moat, followed by .... The fear that drive people to want the wall will not go away when the want gets built.
Hey, let's just establish a train that will drop them off at the destination of their choice. Screw putting a physical impediment there to stop them.
Interesting how many republicans are voting for BOTH resolutions today. Inability to decide? Wanting to send a message they want something done and hoping that they can get together any hash something out? Suspect they have accurate counts knowing neither bill will pass...
So two republicans voted no on the trump version? But don't think the House version had anywhere near the needed votes either.
