The barrier is necessary along most of the border.
The barrier is a foundation for high tech methods.
I am of the opinion that the border patrol has convinced President Trump of the necessity of the barrier and he will stand firm.
Trust the border agents if you don’t trust Trump.
“The Wall” has always been a metaphor for border security. It just happens that it’s impossible to build a metaphor. Donald doesn’t understand ideas, he understands building things. He most likely lacks object permanence.
the wall wont stop everything. but great effort and expense is made to avoid checkpoints
135 billion tax burden acc to FAIR:
No see…if this happens, it’ll give him his excuse to call a “national emergency” like he wants to do.
If that happens you know for a fact that the next Democratic president is going to declare global warming a national emergency.
We don’t disagree on the substance here. I am lean toward the right on most political issues. The only problem I have with the GOP is their bigotry toward LGBTQ people.
All what Trump talks about is building a wall, and that’s it. I have heard nothing about the length, how he’s going to work around environmental law or private property rights. He hasn’t talked about cracking down on people with expired visas or people who money launder. It’s all about the wall and that’s it. Now if you want to explain to me, Trump’s plan for all this, I am all ears.
No- great effort and expenses are not made to avoid checkpoints…not when it comes to drugs.
And again this doesn’t address that illegal immigration is at lows, not highs…indicating what we’re doing now is working and we simply need to enhance current methods…not waste money on a wall boondoggle.
Although it would indeed be helpful if it was defined precisely what wall we’re talking about. On that, I agree with the OPer.
Trump doesn’t seem to know though because what he wants seems to change depending on when you ask him.
Well, if you can’t believe a hate group with ties to white supremacists, who can you believe?
In last year’s budget there was $1.6 billion allocated to replace existing barriers and add some fencing in new areas that make sense to the CBP.
That’s the same amount of money that was unanimously passed by the Senate, but was rejected by the President, so Ryan didn’t bring it to a vote in the House.
Barrier 
Completely agree. I just wish Trump was more detailed and able to see complexity rather than simplicity. Building a wall is good. But how you do it matters.
Here’s what that $1.6 billion is for (see Section 230, starting on page 673):
$251 million for “secondary fencing” near San Diego.
$445 million for “primary pedestrian levee fencing” in the Rio Grande Valley.
$196 million for “primary pedestrian fencing” in the Rio Grande Valley.
$445 million for replacement of primary pedestrian fencing.
$38 million for border barrier planning and design.
$196 million for border security technology.
currently 654 miles of fencing.
Drugs like herion are smuggled in at legal points of entry mostly.
No wall will stop drug smuggling at legal points of entry.
Allan
Thanks for the link.
I was reading the report and was wondering - how FAIR determined that illegal aliens are submitting tax returns. How can one file a return when they don’t have a SSN or a ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number)? Also, I would assume that most employers hiring illegal immigrants do so by paying them in cash, under the table. I find the $22 Billion in receipts to be disingenuous.
Like most everything this admin does, they lack consistent and detailed messaging around this border wall. That messaging all went bad once Trump started asking US citizens to pay for the wall and not Mexico.
They could have fixed that messaging by explaining, in detail, how it is better for US citizens to pay for the wall. They could have explained, in detail all of the work they are doing to secure our border.
I am convinced that if they stoppped talking about a wall and just focused on border security enhancements… this conversation would be going a lot better for them.
But since the primary messenger, Trump, has never had to explain any decision he has ever made… he seems annoyed that people are asking questions. He treats the American people like children who just need to shut up and listen to Daddy. It doesn’t work that way.
Trump is responsible for telling the American people clearly how this wall will reduce crime, reduce spending, and reduce job loss to American citizens. He isn’t campaigning anymore… he is governing now.
He needs to act like it!
Chris Wallace on Fox News Sunday this morning:
“We know that roughly nearly 4,000 known or suspected terrorists come into our country illegally, and we know that our most vulnerable point of entry is southern border,” Sanders began, but Wallace cut her off.
“I know the statistic, I didn’t know if you were going to use it, but I studied up on this,” Wallace said. “Do you know what those 4,000 people come where they are captured? Airports.”
They’re coming by land, by air AND by sea.
Da’am,
We need to build a 30 foot concrete wall around airports now.
.>>>>
The messaging is terrible from this admin… wow
I felt Wallace was really nice to Sanders by allowing her to make that point after dismantling her argument.
