Just curious...do you think his talk about building the wall is "tough guy talk" and "political theater" as well?
If Trump could get the money and the regulatory approval for The Wall without committing a lot of his time and political capital to the project, he would build it.
The Wall would be helpful, but not decisive - for two reasons.
First, half the illegals in the USA arrive here legally and just stay after their visas expire.
Probably 90% of the women and children who get arrested at the border could come here legally on a visa and just overstay.
However, they are afraid to come here without their men, and most of their men have had previous arrests in the USA or their home country, so the men can't get visas.
The second issue is jobs.
A year ago, Trump had made fewer work place raids than Obama had made at the same point in their administrations.
Without Universal E-Verify, without vigorous prosecutions of employers, the USA job magnet will remain as powerful as ever, and illegal immigrants will continue to come here by the millions.