Considering the cost and the "efficacy" in such case, it's not worth tax-payers' money.
Oh, I'm not so sure. If we just considered the cost of every new person per year without a wall in terms of health care, prisons (along with the societal loss because of the crimes committed), and free education how long do you think it would take to pay for a wall? I've heard estimates that it would cost about $9 billion for the whole wall. It would pay for itself very quickly I think.
FK: "I'm not sure that a president really has the clout to pressure local law enforcement anymore."
Sure he does. One way to do it is through Congressional allocations of federal money. The President has a lot of clout, especially when it comes to homeland security. We are talking national borders here.
That's a good point. A motivated pro-border-security President could probably make things happen. I'll give you that one.
That's all? Nine billion dollars is pocket change in our federal budget. If that were true, we should have the wall built by now wihtout even feleing it. But beware that estimates ae just that, and are always less than true cost (that's how you get them approved, by making the look cheap).
The problem with walls is that they need maintenance. Unmaintained walls just become another unmaintained border. Holes appear in them and people slip in.
Cut of the demand created by unethical greedy businesses, by enfrcing the existing laws and depriving them on their illegitimate profits with fines, and the illegal imigration will not only stop but reverse itself. Once they can't find jobs, they will go back. No wall needed.