Why do we need a wall?

[LWC]

Lots of folks discussing if we are actually going to build a wall to keep out illegals. This doesn't make sense to me. If we really want to keep illegals out we just need to enforce our laws.....and make the penalties for hiring illegals such that employers would not risk it. I'm talking LARGE fines and penalties. No wall would be needed. We would need to open up an express lanes for people going back home if they could not get a job.

I don't understand addressing the "symptoms" when it seems we need to cure the real problem. I've heard the arguments about the economy collapsing and nobody is willing to work. I don't buy it. Costs would go up for some goods but there would be a lot of overall cost savings when you consider all of the education, medical care, handouts, etc... that we would not be paying (through taxes). Providing our government would pull its head out and stop paying benefits to ILLEGALS. Just curious why this isn't discussed more.

[SmTx]

Why does the elementary school across the street from my parents have a fence around it?

To keep people that aren't supposed to be there out.

[flywise]

Lots of folks discussing if we are actually going to build a wall to keep out illegals. This doesn't make sense to me. If we really want to keep illegals out we just need to enforce our laws.....and make the penalties for hiring illegals such that employers would not risk it. I'm talking LARGE fines and penalties. No wall would be needed. We would need to open up an express lanes for people going back home if they could not get a job.

I don't understand addressing the "symptoms" when it seems we need to cure the real problem. I've heard the arguments about the economy collapsing and nobody is willing to work. I don't buy it. Costs would go up for some goods but there would be a lot of overall cost savings when you consider all of the education, medical care, handouts, etc... that we would not be paying (through taxes). Providing our government would pull its head out and stop paying benefits to ILLEGALS. Just curious why this isn't discussed more.

And remove the law that allows anchor babies and the problem would be solved

[bdchorn]

Homeland security. It's not just an illegal immigration issue

[Shane]

Drug dealers and terrorists aren't coming here for the welfare benefits.

[Olphart]

To enforce the laws without hindering or stopping the flow, there'd need to be a lot more agents, judges, etc. and that would be an ongoing and enormous funding issue. If something can be prevented or greatly reduced with a wall, fence, AND enforce the laws, I think the effort would be more effective and efficient.

[westguy76]

Like a property line at your ranch or lease the fence only stops the honest ones.

[TexasBob]

My grandfather always said a gate keeps the honest folks out. To me a wall only keeps out someone without the means to tunnel under or fly over. If it's a fence then it only keeps out someone without a sturdy set of bolt cutters. I don't see the cost/benefit working out personally.


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[Dusty Britches]

Why? Because we are a fence out country, not a fence in.

[Buck Roar]

OP,
I agree with you, but believe we need to do both to fully solve the problem.
Terrorists are coming in on the south border. we close it up, and they will then come in from Canada. Canada is very immigrant friendly, which makes for an additional path for terrorists to come from. (Remember not long after 911 a guy got caught coming into the US in the Seattle area with a bunch of explosives for LA New Years attack)

[SaltwaterSlick]

With proper law enforcement you DO NOT NEED A WALL!!! The ranch we hunted for over 30 years had 8 miles of Rio Grande river frontage on the portion we leased. It was south of Del Rio, and about 12-15 years back, the various law enforcement agencies, Val Verde county, the feds, BP and such all entered into a Zero-tolerance zone for the Del Rio Sector of the border. Val Verde County built a new prision/jail east of town and everyone who was apprehended in the Del Rio Sector was prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law with complete criminal background checks. It was a minimum 6 months in jail plus whatever else they could dig up on the perps. The agencies were funded by special grants from the federal gubment and they were given the latest and greatest technology to help with the job... Crossings on our section of the ranch went from several thousands a month to almost zero, maybe a dozen or so a month... They virtually shut that section of the border down. I had deer stands that I literally could shoot an arra into the river. I went for a 10 year period at least that I didn't even see an illegal where before, they messed up so many of my hunts, I didn't hunt in the bottom except during the Thanksgiving to Christmas holiday season (traditionally, that is a low in crossings as they stay home until after Christmas)... About 3 or so years ago, they lost a lot of the funding for the project and crossings began to increase once again...

If you build a wall and don't use people and technology to guard it, it will not slow crossings down either, so if you're going to guard the wall with such technology and people, YOU DON'T NEED THE WALL IN THE FIRST PLACE!! It's a waste of taxpayer money and creates many more problems than it solves... it in fact doesn't solve anything.

[RiverRat1]

And remove the law that allows anchor babies and the problem would be solved

Homeland security. It's not just an illegal immigration issue

Drug dealers and terrorists aren't coming here for the welfare benefits.

Hit it from all sides. It wouldn't cost any more money than we already spend. Actually we could make it cost a lot less, make Mexico pay for any illegal we take back over there. THAT would help solve the issue a lot. They would be scared to death to be returned home as I'm sure Mexico would not be as nice to their citizens costing them money like we are.

Let BP do their jobs, period.

Give fines to employers. But this one is tricky since liberals think all business owners are rich and know everything. The employer must knowingly hire illegals.

All it takes is not being so dang PC to fix the issue. The anchor baby law has always been stupid IMO

[Mesquite Archer]

You are absolutely right! As with most problems enforcing the laws currently on the books would go a long way to correcting the situation. But there simply is not a will to enforce the law, or hold employers responsible for there part in the problem.

When our tax dollars are being used to advertise welfare benefits in Mexico for those that can get here and claim them, and the message is get here anyway you can because under the current administration there are no repercussions, we have a serious problem.

I hope the will to enforce the laws and truly protect our borders is not an empty promise.

[txfireguy2003]

There isn't going to be a wall, that's a bunch of BS Trump just saying what he thinks we want to hear. Even if they built a wall, it would not stop the problem in the least. In fact, there is already a wall/fence covering part of the border, you think that stopped the problem, or even slowed it down? Of course not, they just go around or dig tunnels....YUGE tunnels, the best tunnels! Give me a break. As soon as we stop hemorrhaging money into entitlements and force people go get a **** job, there won't be any more need for the illegals to come over here and scrub toilets or pour concrete or lay sod....Americans will be happy to do it for a fair wage, hunger is one Hell of a motivator. Stop giving cradle to grave handouts and folks will find work and learn that it feels good to provide for yourself. Couple that with stricter penalties for hiring illegals, as in, lose your business and go to prison for hiring illegals, and everything will stabilize just fine.

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[Bayouboy]

Walls are way cool.