Immigration Policy the Border Fence:

Immigration Policy

The Border Fence: A Step in the Right Direction

Individuals from both major parties recognize that immigration is a serious issue in America today. One solution presently on the table is that of border wall spanning the entire Mexican-United States border from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific Ocean (Pinkerton, par. 2). Despite many criticisms, such a wall would actually save both federal and state funds currently devoted to illegal immigration. Overall, the control of the border through a total border wall will allow for planned immigration and a better American economy. Finally, a wall would also end the current suffering of immigrants caused by current stopgap measures, including partial walls and river crossings.

Pinkerton estimates that the construction of a border wall would cost between $4 billion and $8 billion (par. 2). Critics focus on that cost as if the American government and individual states are not currently budgeting such extreme amounts for border control. Stromsta finds that California's state government alone spends approximately $10 billion every year to take care of illegal immigrants in the state (par. 4). Beinart additionally reports that the number of border patrol agents has risen more than 200% over the past fifteen years (par. 1). Since border patrol guards are just one factor in border protection that has increased, particularly since September 11, it is obvious that a better solution must be available. Building a complete border wall for a cost of the high estimate of $8 billion would lower states' costs of supporting the overwhelming burden of immigration and would also lessen the federal burden of maintaining the current, faulty border control system.

Building a wall would aid the American economy. Closing the entire border would prevent immigrants from finding more rural areas to cross, thereby lessening the number of illegal immigrants causing economic problems in America. Even Stromsta, who offers a balanced look at immigration in the United States, admits that: cities and states in America are currently being "crushed" by immigrants' needs for services; and that wages are being driven down by immigrant workers (sec. 3, 5). Stromsta additionally offers that, due to their lack of even a high school education, many immigrants will never be able to substantially contribute to the tax pool (sec. 5). Since no immigration policy has yet even slowed the number of illegal immigrants (Beinart par. 1), the only way to resolve these economic issues is to stop illegal border crossings completely with a full-scale wall.