Donald Trump and his Proposed Wall
Donald J. Trump’s vow to restore what he says is America’s lost luster comes with campaign promises that are equally grandiose. But Donald Trump, the nearly official Republican nominee, has provided limited details on how he might make good on his promises to build a “Great Wall” separating Mexico and the United States to clamp down on issues with illegal immigration.
Central to Mr. Trump’s campaign, is using a vast deportation “force” to relocate people to the other side of a wall, funded by Mexico, that would stretch nearly the length of the southern border. However, experts across many fields who have analyzed his plans so far warn that they would come at astronomical costs — whoever paid — and would in many ways defy the logic of science, engineering and law.
Donald Trump has a simple plan to reduce the population of 11 million immigrants living illegally in the United States, and it is to deport them. Trump says he would follow the example of the military-style roundups authorized by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1954.
Michael Chertoff, the secretary of homeland security under President George Bush states, “I can’t even begin to picture how we would deport 11 million people in a few years where we don’t have a police state, where the police can’t break down your door at will and take you away without a warrant.” Furthermore, about 15 thousand new ICE agents would need to be trained and hired, as well as hundreds of brand new judges for emergency hearings to help with the current immigration backlogs that exist in the United States’ legal system.
The next issue would be the feasibility of the wall itself. The most common benchmark used for assessing Mr. Trump’s wall is the fencing that already exists at the border. In 2006, the Bush administration signed the Secure Fence Act, and $2.4 billion was spent to construct 670 miles of fencing. Mr. Trump plans on building 1000 miles of concrete wall along the southern border between Mexico and the U.S. A wall would be even more complicated, requiring redirection of water so that concrete could be mixed on location. Furthermore, setting aside the need for congressional approval and a likely fight with Mexico over financing, many who study borders doubt that a mass of concrete would accomplish its purpose.
To complete this analysis, we need to draw from the experiences and culture of our ancestors – from the ancient Great Wall of China to Israel’s modern security wall in Gaza, walls rarely prove totally impervious to people set on breaking their physical and symbolic barriers. Walls tend to be crude solutions to complex problems, so we as Americans need to come together to figure out more cost efficient and socially acceptable solutions.
The team here at Buda Law Group knows that many changes lie ahead for families in the United States with immigration issues. We are ready to deal and adjust to any political and legal changes that come about from this election. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or concerns regarding any immigration issue, and they will be gladly answered.
Thank You,
John B. Buda, Esq.
www.budalawgroup.net
office: 626-796-1422
john.buda@budalawgroup.net
