Better barriers are worth the cost: Opposing view



On Wednesday, President Trump ordered completion of border security measures that were promised by Congress in 2006 but never fulfilled. The centerpiece of the president’s order is secure barriers (a wall, perhaps) along the areas of the border required to achieve operational security. It also includes upgrades in electronic monitoring of the border and an additional 5,000 border agents. All of these things are badly needed to gain control of the border, and would help both Mexico and the U.S. eliminate cartel operations.

Who will pay is now under debate. Regardless of who pays, it is a great deal for taxpayers. U.S. taxpayers now absorb recurring costs in excess of $100 billion a year to provide basic services to illegal aliens and their children. Even at the high end of the one-time cost estimate for constructing a wall, in the $15 billion and $25 billion range, the structures are cheap at twice the price.

Read the rest at USA TODAY

About Author

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Dan is the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR)'s President after joining the organization in 1982. He has testified more than 50 times before Congress, and been cited in the media as "America's best-known immigration reformer." Dan has appeared on virtually every significant TV and radio news/talk program in America and, in addition to being a contributing editor to ImmigrationReform.com, has contributed commentaries to a vast number of print media outlets.

8 Comments

  1. avatar

    In the USA Today comment section one person talks about the Berlin Wall. This is typical low watt thinking. The Berlin Wall kept citizens of East Germany from leaving to go anywhere. No one is stopping any American citizen from leaving this country. That does not mean anyone is entitled to come here without permission. One thing has nothing to do with the other.

    • avatar

      not really…..do we do not have a wall with Canada….Does the EU have walls…..?

      Somehow the Berlin Wall will be similar to the US-Mexico……with the same results then Mr Leland tear down that wall!! in the future I can hear Reagan……

      Best solution as per w/Canada……to work towards improving that country….we will be the best off Leland.

      Not easy,,,,,,but doable……

      • avatar

        Canadians improved their own country. They aren’t as corrupt and violent as Mexico, which let their most wanted criminal escape twice. Your insinuation that no country can do anything without the US is insulting.

        • avatar

          Really..look at the South of Chicago and as brutal….corruption exists everywhere, you need a shrink I never insinuated anything …

          Just like our president says, The US helped Japan, and other countries………etc etc if we did that to our own and neighbors we would be better off….but you hate Mexicans,,,,

          • avatar

            Trump said the south side of Chicago was a war zone. The political establishment of that city criticized him for that, but you seem to agree it is.

          • avatar

            Trump has never been there nor you….”I seem to agree it is”…Leland you seem to find our situation as if you are reading the news or a movie…….and don’t care…..perhaps you should be wailing those areas and be threatened and see the people being killed to mature your sense of Social/Political and financial reality ….. you have no name…….this is a fact and everybody knows it///no different from your neighborhood and worse than yours in CA