Primer: Border Wall

Ever since former President Donald Trump proposed the idea, Americans have debated the construction of a wall on our southern border with Mexico. Disagreement over funding was the root cause of the longest government shutdown in our nation’s history. In 2018, construction began using existing federal funding, and roughly 455 miles of wall were built. Only 49 miles of that figure were new barriers, however. One of President Biden’s first executive orders upon entering office was halting construction of the barrier. Then in March 2022, a leaked US Customs and Border Protection memo revealed that the wall had been breached over 3,000 times in the last year. Now, a growing migrant crisis is again building up on our border, so President Biden recently waived 26 federal laws to resume construction of a wall in southern Texas. This is the context behind the Political Union’s next debate resolution: The US government should complete the construction of a physical barrier on the US/Mexico border. 

For the pro side, the argument centers around the obvious idea that a wall would lead to a drop in illegal immigration. There are many reasons why illegal immigration is unpopular – it undermines legal immigration, and tangentially the rule of law in general, it is a burden on taxpayers, it creates more competition for American jobs, and it leads to housing crises. A barrier would better alleviate this myriad of concerns. It would serve as a deterrent to migrants, especially families, who are the ones that require the most resources upon entry. Less attempted illegal immigration could also result in less human trafficking if there are fewer people desperately congregating near the border. There is currently a crisis as more and more migrants try to enter the country, and the wall is the only way to solve the issue in the long-term. 

On the con side, it can be argued that the wall might not prove particularly effective. For a border as long as the US and Mexico’s, a wall may not make that big of a difference in migration numbers. People may not be deterred by a wall or try more dangerous crossings, which can result in even more casualties. It would also come at an enormous cost to the taxpayer: Trump’s original construction was well over budget, and estimates of an entire border reach almost $20 billion. Some evidence suggests that a wall actually increases human trafficking, as more hopeful migrants resort to smuggling in order to get in. There are also scientists who oppose the wall on the grounds that it will harm wildlife and cause enormous floods. Lastly, one can make an argument that the wall represents the antithesis of our country’s spirit: we are a society of opportunity, diversity, and acceptance, and the symbol of a wall contradicts those values. 
Come join us Monday night at 7 p.m. in Scott Hall 201 for the debate!

"The Mexican Border" by EdmondMeinfelder is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

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