Double fences (some concrete and steel), guard towers, flood lights inferred cameras, ground sensors, patrol roads, horse patrols, ATV patrols, 16 helicopters, fixed wing aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, trucks, and a ratio of 25 guards per mile were incorporated.
It was successful in reducing the number if immigrants crossing at that sector. Most just went further East to cross, but still about two hundred thousand are caught each year trying to cross, and another estimated 30 to 40 thousand make it across undetected each year. They dig under, climb over and break through the fences. That’s an average of 454 to 606 per mile per year.
Extrapolating the cost/benefit results of Operation Gatekeeper to the entire 105,000 mile coastline and land borders of the United States, these are the numbers I calculated.
At 25 guards per mile at $175,000 per guard, it would cost $459,375,000,000.00 per year and still 47,670,000 to 63,630,000 people could cross undetected into the U.S. each year.
Now I don’t claim that my numbers are precisely accurate. Some numbers, such as number of border jumpers are estimates, and other numbers are from newspapers instead of government sources. $175,000 per guard is what Congress budgets. If anyone has official numbers they wish to substitute I would welcome the corrections. (Any Congressman could request an estimate from the CBO if the magic fence idea wasn't such a joke to begin with)
And would require 2.65 million guards.
We could expend $16 million per mile for the entire 2500 mile length and still save more than the $41 billion a year the illegal aliens cost taxpayers.
You are working under the assumption that every single mile would require 25 guards. I will suggest that number can be reduced to 6. Daylight crossings are not common. 3 guards for 24 hours performing actual guard/spotter duty per mile. 3 roving guards performing armed control per mile. Remember one armed man can control 100 unarmed men.
$175,000 ANNUALLY per guard seems reasonable considering rear support, etc.
$459,375,000,000.00 would be reduced to 1.15 billion. Just slightly over the one day cost of the war in Iraq.
If all public benefit applicants were scanned for US citizens only and employers were required to use 888-464-4218 before hiring anyone the costs of public benefit would be reduced rapidly. Quite so much that I am positive there would be a cost savings.
Then you have inland patrols that will catch another 10 percent or so.
And then you place harsh penalties on companies that repeatedly hire illegal aliens. And cut off illegals from educational and all but emergency medicine - and they get deported afterwards if they do get emergency help.
In other words, you make it a losing proposition to come here illegally.