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Donald Trump's Border Wall Would Cost Billions, Experts Say
NBC News ^ | July 23, 2015 | Elizabeth Chuck

Posted on 07/23/2015 4:33:18 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet

Constructing an impassable wall along the U.S.-Mexico border would be a tall order — even for master real estate developer and 2016 GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump.

"From a security standpoint, it really is not an intelligent solution," said Eric Olson, associate director of the Latin American program at the non-partisan Wilson Center.

In fact, "it's ludicrous," Olson said of the idea, which has become a hallmark of Trump's campaign.

Experts estimate that building and maintaining such a wall on the 1,954-mile border, which snakes along four huge states, would cost tens of billions of dollars. And the 21,000 border patrol agents currently on duty would be "nowhere near sufficient" to keep close surveillance on all of it, said Wayne Cornelius, director of University of California San Diego's Mexican migration field research program.

"Any kind of border barrier can be climbed over, and to prevent that type of activity, we would have to have not just drones in the sky, but a lot of boots on the ground," he said.

As of now, fences or other physical obstacles cover about one third of the border, areas that can be accessed easily by foot or by car, Cornelius said. Trump wants to wall in the entire border to keep out undocumented Mexican immigrants, who he has called "rapists" and "criminals."(continued)

(Excerpt) Read more at nbcnews.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: aliens; borders; illegalimmigration; immigration; trump
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

It should cost the U.S. nothing, just redirect 10% of the foreign aid we give away for one year. Problem solved, fence built!


61 posted on 07/23/2015 5:24:26 AM PDT by martinidon
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

The UNIPARTY keeps sending the border wall money to prop up the corrupt regime in Mexico. We could have built a couple of walls, coast to coast by now.


62 posted on 07/23/2015 5:24:59 AM PDT by TADSLOS (A Ted Cruz Happy Warrior! GO TED!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

What happen to the money set aside on all the other Bill in Congress?


63 posted on 07/23/2015 5:25:25 AM PDT by bmwcyle (People who do not study history are destine to believe really ignorant statements.)
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To: Tupelo

Trump did say he plans to bring jobs back to Americans.

His “Building the Wall” project would certainly do just that when you think about all the engineers, suppliers of equipment, materials, labor and all related jobs either direct or indirect. Trump knows how to build and he can get it done, assuming we let him.


64 posted on 07/23/2015 5:26:56 AM PDT by DaveA37
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

If there are 30 million illegals, we can hire each of them to build the fence, at 1500 people per mile. They can start on the US side, and work to the south until the fence is done. We will send their minimum wage checks by Western Union.


65 posted on 07/23/2015 5:27:08 AM PDT by Blue Devil Reaganite ("You can't just call them 'goat phuc&ers,' that's racist." Me, "OK, fine. 'Goat fornicators'.")
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Expert are just former perts.


66 posted on 07/23/2015 5:27:40 AM PDT by FlingWingFlyer (What our intelligence agencies really need is a little intelligence.)
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To: KarlInOhio
Where does this “ non partisan” group get their information? Idk, I would think having a fence would greatly reduce the need for additional border patrol. It would allow the Border Patrol to focus on port of entries and ENFORCEING our immigration laws!
67 posted on 07/23/2015 5:28:00 AM PDT by martinidon
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To: BigCinBigD

Deer stands every 500 yds. Rent them out.


68 posted on 07/23/2015 5:28:02 AM PDT by ebshumidors
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

And it would be a bargain!


69 posted on 07/23/2015 5:28:03 AM PDT by 9YearLurker (ara)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

So, we have $6 billion in misapplied Social Security benefits every year. Use that and save $10 billion on illegal alien costs.


70 posted on 07/23/2015 5:28:04 AM PDT by wac3rd (Somewhere in Hell, Ted Kennedy snickers....)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

It would be a bargain!


71 posted on 07/23/2015 5:28:49 AM PDT by Pearls Before Swine
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Eric Olson, associate director of the Latin American program at the non-partisan Wilson Center

On this issue, any organization that has a "Latin American program" is not non-partisan.

72 posted on 07/23/2015 5:31:15 AM PDT by Jim Noble (Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Experts estimate that building and maintaining such a wall on the 1,954-mile border, which snakes along four huge states, would cost tens of billions of dollars

So?

73 posted on 07/23/2015 5:32:20 AM PDT by Jim Noble (Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain)
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To: ICCtheWay

“This guy has the potential to do more good for the nation having never been elected, than the last four Democrat presidents have in 7 terms in office.”

So you plan on just giving the Rio Grande over to Mexico? What about the millions of Texans on the border who’s lives and livelihood depend on that water? El Paso to the west coast is feasible but not the Texas border. The best solution would be troops on the border, they need to train anyway and that’s a perfect place.


74 posted on 07/23/2015 5:33:11 AM PDT by Dusty Road (")
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To: ICCtheWay

“This guy has the potential to do more good for the nation having never been elected, than the last four Democrat presidents have in 7 terms in office.”

So you plan on just giving the Rio Grande over to Mexico? What about the millions of Texans on the border who’s lives and livelihood depend on that water? El Paso to the west coast is feasible but not the Texas border. The best solution would be troops on the border, they need to train anyway and that’s a perfect place.


75 posted on 07/23/2015 5:33:11 AM PDT by Dusty Road (")
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Any kind of border barrier can be climbed over

OK, now we're getting down to practicalities.

5.56 or 7.62?

76 posted on 07/23/2015 5:33:34 AM PDT by Jim Noble (Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

If a President Trump gave a speech in which he loudly said he intended to deport EVERY illegal alien, jail every illegal who committed crimes then deport them, would come down HARD on employers who hire illegals, & then proceeded to implement such a policy, I believe many illegals would self deport. No jobs & no benefits would be a powerful incentive to go home.

Obama has put out the welcome mat to illegals & covered it in cash & benefits. Of course illegals will come here under those circumstances. I would, too.


77 posted on 07/23/2015 5:34:53 AM PDT by Mister Da (The mark of a wise man is not what he knows, but what he knows he doesn't know!)
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To: Mr. K
Where did that money go?

The Wilson Center?

78 posted on 07/23/2015 5:34:57 AM PDT by Jim Noble (Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain)
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To: mad_as_he$$

Sorry but I choose not to give the Rio Grande to Mexico.


79 posted on 07/23/2015 5:37:00 AM PDT by Dusty Road (")
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To: ebshumidors

Toss in some Skeet and Trap ranges also.


80 posted on 07/23/2015 5:38:22 AM PDT by BigCinBigD (...Was that okay?)
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