What is the Border Wall?
Regardless of what recent Presidents have campaigned for, the border between the US and Mexico experiences a substantial influx of people. These include individuals and families who cross said border with the hope of seeking a better life in the US. Those who cross do so through treacherous conditions that require them to move by foot without adequate food, water, or shelter. Many of those who cross that border then go on to seek asylum in the US for fear of persecution back home. However, not everyone likes what goes on at the US-Mexico border. Specifically, President Trump has spent years advocating for a border wall that spans the entire border, with even larger promises regarding its fortifications to follow. What is this border wall, how much will it cost, and will it be effective?
Federal Funding for The Border Wall
Trump declared a state of emergency earlier this year, allowing him to tap federal funding for the border wall. Along with that funding and more from Congress, billions of dollars will have to spend in order to erect the wall. Most of the wall will be an actual object acting as a barrier, with whatever remains being covered by nature (like mountains and impenetrable forests). The material would include steel, but the previous campaigning has also brought up the option of concrete.
The point of the wall is to stop illegal migration and the inflow of migrants from Latin and Central America to the US. Trump’s platform is harsh on immigration by attempting to tackle both laws and physical access to the country. However, the wall (or the promise of it) has not deterred migration. Migrants continue to illegally cross the border with Mexico, as political and military tensions escalate in countries south of the border. President Trump and his Republican administration still have a few policy hoops to jump through, but if the full funding is confirmed and the wall is built, it will become interesting to see whether the campaign promise finally pays off.
by Prozco®