I also want to recommend this assessment of the state of our border with Mexico from Third Way. Here’s the conclusion:
Today the southern border is the most secure it has ever been in the history of our nation. Border security spending is at an all-time high, while immigration is stagnant and apprehensions are nearing historic lows. Increases in border security in the last 16 years have revolutionized what the border looks like, how it is protected, and the ways in which people enter the United States. There is no doubt the country’s immigration system is broken, but its flaws do not lie along the border with Mexico. President Trump’s executive order requiring construction of a wall across the border will cost taxpayers upwards of $25 billion, without making them any safer or the border any more secure. That undertaking is akin to building a wall from San Diego, California, to Chicago, Illinois—and it would be about as effective.
That significant groups of people are actually charging the border is an indication that despite the increased security and increased spending we still have a problem on our southern border. My approach to addressing the problem is more to reduce the pull factors drawing people to the United States than to try to push them out but that may be because my objectives are different. One advantage of my approach is that it would tend to reduce illegal immigration from anywhere, not just from Mexico and Central America.
“reduce the pull factors”
Hasn’t worked with the war on drugs. People want drugs, people want cheap domestics and groundskeepers. Illegals don’t complain. They make good subservient workers.
I’ve started to wonder if the answer isn’t to relax border security and turn a blind eye to drugs and foreign nationals pouring in until the results affect everyone. Then we can elect our own Duterte.
And the “Chicago connection”
https://www.theepochtimes.com/highly-organized-migrant-caravans-are-being-supported-by-taxpayer-funded-american-groups-and-the-u-n-and-theyre-using-women-and-children-as-human-shields_2757266.html#Print
“Hasn’t worked with the war on drugs.”
We have never tried reducing the pull factor. We just increased no -knock raids (killing and harming innocents) and putting more people in jail for longer periods. It has failed. It is much akin to what the wall would do.
I think I have come to the conclusion that while the wall would be a waste of money, it might be worth it to build it if they will also do some stuff that will actually help to solve the problems.
Steve
Nancy Reagan tried, “Just say no.” But who listened.
We have drug courts. rehab. Doesn’t work.
On immigration the pull factor is jobs and wages, plus the anchor baby business. Plus welfare programs not available in Honduras. Plus Democrat’s unfounded belief that Hispanic Immigrants will always vote for them. A permanent majority comprised of splintered victim groups.
I agree the border wall expansion is stupid and probably counter-productive.
I also think the Democrats, if they were smart, could exploit that and get something of real substance in exchange for $5 billion in wall funding. But it appears that opposing Trump is a greater priority.
Drug treatment actually does work. It isn’t funded very well. We spend a lot more on the drug war.
https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugs-brains-behavior-science-addiction/treatment-recovery
“the pull factor is jobs and wages”
This is why they come. The rest are mostly conservative talking points. If you want to stop them coming for jobs, a vigorous E verify or something similar is probably best.
Steve