This is the core argument that is being summarized in all the talk about walls and fences. Are we going to enforce our laws and stop people crossing what is effectively an open border. I think the fence, as described by Tom Tancredo, which is 700 miles long, is intended as a funneling mechanism to move the bulk of the crossings to areas that are more easily controlled.
Of course individuals or groups using extreme measures will breach or otherwise bypass a physical barrier, but proper surveillance with a reasonable amount of resources will solve that. In the areas that your large volume will shift to you place more human assets to deal with the traffic.
I would suggest that we don't want to expand the Border Patrol as it now exists to try to do this. I think the organization has shown itself to be institutionally incapable of meeting this challenge. Instead I would extend the charter and structure of the Coast Guard and add border security to their current seacoast security mandate (maybe fold in the Border Patrol as part of this?). The Coast Guard is one of the most effective and efficient institutions we have in this country, it already has police powers and is not constrained by Posse Comitatus as the Army or Marines are. It also has responsiblity for this role for our sea coast.
In addition they are the world class at rescue operations. Think of the thousands of people plucked from rooftops during Katrina. Nothing even remotely like that has even been done on that scale before. Therefore, in addition to managing the border patrol/security tasks and augmenting the actual Border Patrol officers in what they now do with more high tech assets (more helicopters, MEU like resources, other things, as needed) I would envision such a force as a rapid reaction arm of Homeland Security for any kind of emergency, whether it be a natural disaster or a terrorist incident. I would further get Congress to pass legislation authorizing the President to detach any Pentagon assets to work as part of this force for the duration of an emergency, which should place them under the command of and rules of this proposed enhanced Coast Guard organization (Border Guard, Home Guard?). That should elminate any questions about Posse Comitatus for Army or other US Military units now barred from many tasks, such as civilian crowd control.
I would want such a force to be structured like Marine Expeditionary Units, with their own logistics and some rapid deployment capabilities. Base them in the border regions with the "normal" task of patrolling our borders with Mexico (and Canada, if necessary). Base and train them in places along the border like Sierra Vista, New Mexico, El Paso, Texas and Yuma Arizona. When an incident happens anywhere else in the country you can then rapidly deploy these assets, as needed, using detached units from the Air Force, or other appropriate means to supplement the built in logistics. Maybe even give AMTRAK a useful reserve role to justify all of the money we've poured down that black hole. You might pre-position certain heavy equipment at key locations throughout the country or designate appropriate existing installations and equipment for detachment at need.
How say you? Within the realm of possibilities?
The wall would probably help in some places. It would help with the funneling of where they could come across. That said, will ANY law be enforced? It does not look that way right now.
The flood of illegals coming across must be slowed at the very least. I don't like the idea of the government going after businesses, because it is not up to the business to control immigration. Documentation, no matter how good, can be forged. Why else does the government keep changing our bills?
I think that technology - drones, etc. - can help the border patrol (in what ever form it takes) have an impact on the flow. I don't think a new bureaucracy will be of any benefit. Because of Posse Comitatus, our military can not be used, and that is fine with me. Turning it over to the Coast Guard would take quite a bit of time. Laws would have to be passed, training would have to occur, etc. Beefing up what is already there might be the quickest answer. I am not saying it is the best answer. Many bash the President for not having done anything, but it is very complex, (and I think more has been done than we know). In our 'give me an answer/solution NOW - in the next 30 to 60 minutes' society, any solution will require more time and thought than many want to give it.