Border security isn't the problem

[CSpec]

Border security isn't the problem

Washington Post

The notion that the first thing to do is "secure the border" between the United States and Mexico -- and only then worry about comprehensive immigration reform -- falls somewhere between hopeful fantasy and cynical cop-out. It's a good sound bite but would be a ridiculous policy.

Fact-based analysis is increasingly out of fashion, however, and so the border-first hallucination has become popular among politicians and pundits reacting to Arizona's new "breathing while Latino" law. The measure, which has sparked angry protests nationwide, orders police to act on "reasonable suspicion" in identifying, arresting and jailing undocumented immigrants.

Anyone who thinks such extremism could be quelled if the federal government would just "secure the border" really ought to visit Arizona and take a look. Or at least consult a map. Or even just read up on what is happening at the border -- which, according to Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik, "has never been more secure."

Border crossings by undocumented immigrants have declined sharply over the past decade. With more Border Patrol agents on duty than ever before, apprehensions of would-be immigrants along the 2,000-mile border have dropped from a peak of 1.8 million in fiscal 2000 to 556,000 in fiscal 2009. Some of the decrease might be the result of tougher border enforcement, but the weakness of the U.S. economy also could be a factor.

There has been much sound and fury about Mexico's rampant drug violence spilling over into the United States -- much of it wrong, at least as far as Arizona is concerned. Sen. John McCain, who should know better, said recently that failure to secure the border "has led to violence -- the worst I have ever seen." Gov. Jan Brewer said she signed the state's outrageous new law because of "border-related violence and crime due to illegal immigration." But law enforcement officials in border communities say this simply is not true.

Roy Bermudez, assistant police chief of the border city of Nogales, told the Arizona Republic that "we have not, thank God, witnessed any spillover violence from Mexico." The newspaper reported -- citing figures from FBI crime reports and local police agencies -- that crime rates along the border have been "essentially flat for the past decade." Violent crime is down statewide, as it is nationally.

It should be pointed out there wouldn't be any drug-related violence along either side of the border if Americans would curb their insatiable demand for illegal drugs. It also bears noting that the Mexican drug cartels procure their assault weapons on the U.S. side of the border, where just about anyone with a pulse can buy a gun.

Still, it's hard to argue, in principle, against making every effort to lock down the border. The problems come in figuring out how to translate principle into practice.

In Nogales, the busiest Arizona crossing, there is already a big, impassable fence; the place is crawling with Border Patrol agents and other police. Most of those who cross illegally do so in remote areas, where they have to walk for many miles across scorched, unforgiving desert. Undocumented migrants already find ways to overcome daunting and potentially deadly obstacles, and it would take a lot more than rhetoric to make the border truly "secure."

An attempt to design a high-tech "virtual" fence using sensors and cameras has not gone well. The equipment has not been able to discern people from wildlife. And even if there were a system that could alert authorities whenever an illegal immigrant had stepped onto U.S. soil, how would authorities find him or her in the vast wilderness?

It would be possible to build a 2,000-mile-long Berlin Wall, complete with watchtowers. But it would be stupid and counterproductive. The U.S.-Mexico relationship is vital, economically and politically, and the border has to be permeable enough to permit a massive legitimate daily flow of goods and people.

Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon, who is seeking approval to sue the state to overturn the new law, told me on Monday that the only solution is comprehensive reform that provides a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants already settled here, a legal way for temporary workers to come and go, and increased quotas for Mexicans who want to immigrate permanently.

The answer is not a bigger wall. And the answer surely is not Arizona's shameful new law, which, Gordon said, "doesn't do one thing but make our city less safe."

[PurdueGuy]

It would be possible to build a 2,000-mile-long Berlin Wall, complete with watchtowers. But it would be stupid and counterproductive. The U.S.-Mexico relationship is vital, economically and politically, and the border has to be permeable enough to permit a massive legitimate daily flow of goods and people.

What a stupid statement. Do they really think the idea of building a wall includes gobs of manned watchtowers and no ways for traffic to get through? Durrr. It has to be more than a fence, which can be cut through far too easily, but it doesn't have to be insanely huge, nor manned. Electronics can handle much of the manning. And OF COURSE THERE WOULD BE CHECKPOINTS TO LET TRADE THROUGH. We're not cutting off ties with Mexico. The only reason securing the border would hurt relations between the countries is if there are an abundance of politicians cashing in on illegal immigration in one way or another. Which is probably happening. Also, just because they found 3-4 people in Arizona to quote backing up their argument, doesn't mean I believe it's true. Oh, and only more than half a million people being caught trying to cross the border illegally is supposed to be comforting? How many got through?

[CSpec]

Read the next paragraph.

[loki]

Read the next paragraph.

I agree to that next paragraph. quotas are just a hint at real economic planning... yes, economically you could look at immigrants as goods moving in the economy, why would you stifle that like sugar is?

[PurdueGuy]

Read the next paragraph.

Immigration reform could certainly help, but it doesn't address all the problems of having unsecured borders.

[CSpec]

Immigration reform could certainly help, but it doesn't address all the problems of having unsecured borders.

Did you read the article..? The borders are secure, to a sane extent.

[the_yellow_dart]

The Canadian border is not secure, especially in the West.

One day, we'll have our rabid moose army ready. Then you yankees will see regret that decision....

[AAS]

The Canadian border is not secure, especially in the West.

One day, we'll have our rabid moose army ready. Then you yankees will see regret that decision....

Yeah... Why aren't we building a wall along that border?!?

(take that as sarcasm, with a very tiny bit of truth)

[Z-06]

The Canadian border is not secure, especially in the West.

One day, we'll have our rabid moose army ready. Then you yankees will see regret that decision....

Yeah... Why aren't we building a wall along that border?!?

(take that as sarcasm, with a very tiny bit of truth)

The body part that a hat protects does not create near much problems as the body part an underwear protects.

[avant1963]

Most Canadians aren't brown - 'Muricans don't like brown people.

[balthazar]

>>"The measure, which has sparked angry protests nationwide"<<

It has also sparked strong support nationwide.

>>""...border-related violence and crime due to illegal immigration." But law enforcement officials in border communities say this simply is not true."<<

Which side of the border communities? North?? Shall we all sit on our hands & wait until it's a problem north of the border ?? Do the statistics show violence in Mexico is abating steadily, or instead, is it escalating exponetially? Does it show that drug cartels are now emulating radical Islamists and adopting signature be-headings to rivals ?? Are we counting on these hideously violent gangs to restrain executing this violence here... just because ? Or are we going to be proactive for once ??

>>"the weakness of the U.S. economy also could be a factor."<<

Ya think ??

>>"Violent crime is down statewide"<<

Not in Phoenix (unless kidnapping is not categorized as 'violent').

>>"the border has to be permeable enough to permit a massive legitimate daily flow of goods and people."<<

The Federal / AZ law does not limit legitimate traffic.

Those strongly against the federal policy continue to muddy those two distinct entities intentionally.

This is not an AZ issue- this is a Federal issue. Both WRT enforcement & policy. SR1070 is merely upholding federal law.

Edited May 5, 2010 by balthazar

[PurdueGuy]

Did you read the article..? The borders are secure, to a sane extent.

Yes I read the article. The border is secure according to the author, and according to you. That does not make it truth. I can find articles all day that state the exact opposite and everywhere in between - finding an article proves nothing. Again I ask - they caught over a half million people crossing the border last year, how many did they miss? Oh wait, we don't know that, because we missed them. The article does nothing to address the success rate of catching people crossing the border.

IF you can find a reliable source that can state the success rate at which we are catching those crossing illegally, and they are measuring it in a reliable and meaningful way (doubtful, since if we could readily count the number of people, we'd be more readily catching them), and...

IF the number of people successfully crossing the border illegally is less than 98% that try...

Then I will concede that the border is secure.

Both borders (as well as coastlines) present security problems, but none seem nearly as abused as the southern border. Start with it, figure out a good method for securing the border without extreme cost and with good success rates, and go from there.

[CSpec]

...........

Border crossings by undocumented immigrants have declined sharply over the past decade. With more Border Patrol agents on duty than ever before, apprehensions of would-be immigrants along the 2,000-mile border have dropped from a peak of 1.8 million in fiscal 2000 to 556,000 in fiscal 2009.

[PurdueGuy]

...........

Border crossings by undocumented immigrants have declined sharply over the past decade. With more Border Patrol agents on duty than ever before, apprehensions of would-be immigrants along the 2,000-mile border have dropped from a peak of 1.8 million in fiscal 2000 to 556,000 in fiscal 2009.

Is that meant to be an answer? You just quoted a part of the article I was referencing. Yes, it's likely that this indicates a drop in the number of people trying to cross the border. It still says NOTHING about the success rate of stopping illegal crossings. They caught 556,000 in '09. Is that 90% of the people that tried, or 50%? 20%?