In the late 80’s at a management dinner/meeting sponsored by a DoD contractor, a representative of the boarder patrol spoke to about 200 attendees about the 400,000 illegals that were caught crossing the border that year. He had no statistics on the number that were not apprehended. He went on to say that the best deterrent was to erect a wall and a twenty by twenty foot trench to run its length. The burden on the US citizens was becoming unbearable. We as tax payers were picking up the tab for all the welfare extended to the illegals that made it through.
During the Q&A, a attendee ask why the feds were not forcing the apprehended to construct the barrier and dig the moat. The answer: “We couldn’t do that. It would be considered forced indentured slavery.” At that the entire room groaned in unison. It was not okay to force criminals to pay for their crime but okay to force us as tax paying citizens of good standing to be enslaved by our government to support them as well.
Put them to work to build the wall. When they have paid their fine in hours of labor, then kick their sorry asses out.