Will a wall along the US-Mexico border make America safe again?

Immigration and border security have become dominant topics in the 2016 presidential election in the United States, with Republican nominee Donald Trump running on a promise to build a wall between Mexico and the US to impede illegal crossings.

But with the US spending more on patrolling the border than on the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Secret Service combined, do we really need a wall to supplement ground sensors, helicopters, gunboats, dogs, drones and even blimps already in use?

It is the world’s busiest border: Over 100,000 people cross at just the San Ysidro port every day, and nearly 4,000 have died in the last 10 years trying to enter illegally. Over 90% of the cocaine consumed into the US comes across its southern border, and over 250,000 American-made firearms travel the other way. Human trafficking, rape and abuse are rife, but there is yet to be a single apprehension of anyone with links to the Islamic State (IS) on the border.

With a $25-billion price tag, how likely is it that the wall will deter the historic movement of people and make America safe?

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Fair Observer’s editorial policy.

Photo Credit: Stellalevi

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