Trump’s Great Wall: Rhetoric or Reality
Make America great again. Build that wall. Kick out the illegals. In the span of Trump’s candidacy, I’ve heard these phrases millions of times. To Trump supporters, they’re buzzwords, energizing their cause. But to me, they’re exhausting and overused.
Sometimes it feels like Trump’s whole campaign is built behind this ideological wall. But the wall, like his candidacy, is absurd — not only useless, but counterproductive.
It won’t work because:
1. Illegal immigration isn’t on a rise — illegal immigrants leave at the same rate they come in;
2. It wouldn’t stop illegal immigration anyway; and
3. It’s a waste of time and money.
Yes, the rise of illegal immigration is nearly nonexistent. No, this does not mean there are no illegal immigrants in the United States. Nor does it mean illegal immigrants never come. But by and large, it’s not an issue.
For the past decade, net migration from Mexico has been net-zero . Immigrants are leaving the United States at the same rate they’re coming in. Therefore, the number of illegal immigrants remains same. Immigration from Mexico is at its lowest point in decades, and this trend does not appear to be reversing anytime soon.
Okay, but what about the 11 Million Illegals Still Here!
11 million seems like a scary number. Wow, maybe ‘illegals’ really are taking over the United States! But probably not.
The United States’ population is roughly 318 million. This means undocumented workers make up roughly 3 percent of the population. Keep in mind that this accounts for all illegal immigration, not just that from Mexico. Despite this, the number is still insignificant.
And regardless of your feelings on illegal workers, they’re good for the economy. They do the jobs you can’t or won’t. They also lower the prices of many goods we enjoy. The United States Department of Agriculture published a statement saying “any potential immigration reform could have significant impacts on the U.S. fruit and vegetable industry.” In addition to this, agricultural economist James Holt said: “The reality, however, is that if we deported a substantial number of undocumented farm workers, there would be a tremendous labor shortage.” It’s easy to fear monger and parade around the idea that undocumented workers hurt our economy, but the reality says otherwise.
They’re neither taking over America nor trying to steal your jobs. They’re just trying to support their families.
What About All the Crimes They Commit?
Contrary to Trump’s rhetoric, they’re not criminals, drug dealers, or rapists. In fact, according to studies by the American Immigration Council, illegal immigrants are less likely to commit violent crimes than native-born Americans.
The Wall Won’t Stop Illegal Immigrants
The Great Wall of China didn’t work, the Berlin Wall didn’t work, and neither will this wall of hate, because it ignores the realities of illegal immigration.
Contrary to cartoons, not all Mexicans “hop the border.” A significant portion enter legally, whether that be by car, truck, or plane. But after coming into the country, they simply overstay their visas. A 2004 report from the U.S. General Accounting Office estimates that as much as 57 percent of illegal immigrants are here because they overstayed visas.
When a majority of illegal immigrants originally entered the country by legal means, a wall isn’t going to prevent it.
It’s a Waste of Time and Money
Mass deportation is not only silly, but impractical. The vast amount of resources spent could be much more effectively put elsewhere.
Estimates show that between 2000 and 2010, U.S. taxpayers spent 90 billion dollars on securing the U.S.-Mexico border. We have one of the most patrolled and highly defended borders in the world. We don’t need more protection.
Donald Trump’s immigration “plan” would cost roughly $166 billion. It’s neither practical nor doable. It’s not a real proposal.
Mexico is Going to Pay for It!
Mexico is not going to pay for it. Instead of explaining the obvious, just watch this video of Mexican President Peña Nieto saying Mexico will not pay for it.
It’s easy to demonize undocumented workers, it’s easy to place the blame on others, and it’s easy to divide rather than unify. But most importantly, it’s easy to not do the research.
This election we’re not only deciding the type of policies we want to employ, but the type of country we want to be. This is not a normal election. Vote.
But more importantly, research.
