This article is part of a for-against series. See the other side here.
Inscribed on the Statue of Liberty, one of America’s most iconic monuments, are the words “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to be free.” Indeed, as this quote implies, immigration is the foundation of our country. Throughout history, immigrants have fled to the United States in search of refuge from hardship and persecution. In doing so, they have formed the backbone of the society and economy we have in this country today. In a time when globalization is reaching new heights and our population is aging, it is more important than ever to provide pathways for immigrants to enter this country legally to support the economy and institutions like social security. However, under his administration, President Donald Trump P’00 has made limiting illegal immigration a priority. Although controlling the influx of people across our borders is a valid goal, Trump’s proposed solution is constructing an unrealistic and expensive border wall. This plan is costly and ineffective: rather than building walls and deporting millions of people, the government should make legal immigration easier so there is no longer any need to immigrate illegally.
Besides the fact that a wall is impractical — it will take years to build and cost upwards of $25 billion to construct — it will not actually improve our border security. A study from the Pew Research Center revealed that out of the population of approximately one million undocumented citizens, only about 60% are Mexican. Furthermore, over 40% of illegal immigrants are in the U.S. as a result of overstaying their visas. Therefore, the amount of people this wall would actually limit is relatively small. Additionally, the argument that the wall would act as a deterrent is unreasonable. Immigrants do not come to the United States because it is easy to cross the border illegally, but rather because it offers more opportunity than their native countries. These people will try to immigrate regardless of any physical barrier that may stand in the way.
A physical boundary has already been proven ineffective for America. The United States began constructing fences along the border in the early 2000s, which did not reduce illegal immigration. The 700 miles of border fencing already constructed cost American taxpayers $7 billion, and the Department of Homeland Security reports that Trump’s proposed wall will cost an estimated $25 billion. No matter what, taxpayers will be paying for the wall — whether directly through taxation or through higher prices for goods as a result of tariffs. A wall will be no more effective than fencing; in fact, it may make monitoring the border more difficult for officials. David Bier, an immigration policy analyst at the Cato Institute, stated, “At a basic level, a wall or fence can never stop illegal immigration because a wall or fence cannot apprehend anyone.” Safer borders only come when actual humans actively monitor the border; therefore, a physical wall will offer no help in the goal of preventing illegal immigration.
Other walls around the world have ended up as purely political symbols rather than effective solutions. A prominent example of an ineffective border wall is the barrier constructed by Israel in Palestine. Rather than providing a long-term solution to reduce violence between the neighboring sides, it has only exacerbated existing problems and prevented an immediate solution to the conflict. A look at the political damage between Mexico and the U.S. only a few weeks into Trump’s presidency reveals how divisive the idea of the wall is. Mexico is a key trading partner for the U.S., and relations have already been damaged at the mere suggestion of a wall being built.
There are better solutions to ensure American well-being than the construction of a wall. Immigration should be supported in order to boost our economy and offer access to more opportunities for the less privileged. More open borders and policies allowing for more immigration will be the ultimate solution for limiting the illegal influx of people into the country. Until this becomes a feasible policy, it is fair to suggest that border security is important. Trump has been quick to point out the harm that a minority of illegal immigrants is causing our country through crime. While there is no doubt that there have been widespread incidents of violence caused by illegal immigrants, building a wall offers no solution to this problem because a physical obstacle alone cannot not stop immigration across the border. Overall, a wall brings only costs, ineffectiveness, and divisiveness to our country.
American agents patrol the Mexican border alongside an existing border wall. The United States Department of Homeland Security is responsible for monitoring the borders.
