The border was secured throughout our history without a wall (which I am very much in favor of).
Franklin Roosevelt, and then Eisenhower removed millions of illegals from Mexico without a wall and without much trouble.
E-verify would go a long way in clearing out illegals. That law is still on the books, unenforced. Has Cruz ever called for enforcement of that law?
The guy who killed Kate Steinle was enticed to re-enter because of sanctuary cities that invited him back in.
“...then you can have a debate on what to do with those already here.”
What is there to debate? They either stay or are deported.
“Have a debate” are weasel words for deportation. Cruz is terrified evidently at the sound of the word. Cruz will never deport the illegals.
You can deport 12 million and create God knows what sort of problems. Or you can get 7 million to leave on their own, deport 4 million, and well, maybe there’s like a million tough cases — elderly parents, kids who were smuggled in as toddlers, unofficial refugees, etc. — who you can deal with reasonably, either by simply declining to use draconian means to hunt them down, or maybe even giving them a process to adjust their status.
I know a former illegal alien. She was a Filipino brought into America as a Saudi’s slave. She made a daring break for it. Took her about five years to gain legal status. I wouldn’t want to have her deported. I’m certain I wouldn’t want her to have to play Trump’s assinine touchback-amnesty game.