Key Takeaways:
– Immigrants can breach the US-Mexico border wall, making it ineffective at stopping crossings.
– There are gaps in the terrain around Arizona, rendering the wall ineffective.
– In Trump’s 2024 campaign, the slogan ‘Build the wall’ was conspicuously absent.
– Instead of completing the border wall, Trump now proposes a mass deportation operation.
– The border wall project has created environmental issues and exacerbated local flooding, and led to increased surveillance, terrifying local communities.
– President Biden is legally required to spend the already allocated resources on building the wall.
– Trump intends to orchestrate the deportation of 11 million immigrants, starting with ‘criminals’.
Flaws in the Border Wall
Despite the $20 million per mile price tag, immigrants can overcome the US-Mexico border wall using basic power tools. In southern Arizona, some sections of the wall are so feeble they can be pushed open by hand. Some areas have a harsh terrain that limits the construction of the barrier. Thus, the wall in these places is non-existent.
Change in Trump’s Position?
In his bid for re-election in 2024, former President Donald Trump has not brought up his staple campaign slogan, Build the wall. This has led some to question whether he is abandoning this cause. During his term, Trump initiated the longest government shutdown in history over funding for the border wall. He eventually got the money, but the complete wall he promised is yet to be built. There’s no indication he will make any efforts to see it through.
New Focus: Mass Deportation
Instead of concentrating on wall construction, Trump’s new objective seems to be orchestrating mass deportation. The plan involves swiftly ejecting millions of individuals from the country, potentially reviving the controversial family separation practice.
Impact on Border Communities
The wall construction has taken a toll on local communities in the Rio Grande Valley. Michelle Serrano, who runs Voces Unidas RGV, explained that the project has stripped the residents of their green space, worsened flooding, and scared the Latino community with constant surveillance. It’s a place were racial profiling feels rampant, creating a fear-riddled atmosphere.
The GOP, the Wall, and President Biden
The wall is still a key topic within the Republican Party, even though it’s not brought up in immigration talks. While Trump might have drifted away from promoting the wall, GOP governors continue to finance wall construction in their states. For instance, Texas has built 50 miles of state-funded wall.
In a twist, despite President Biden pledging not to build any more of the wall, a court injunction requires the execution of already allocated funds from 2019-2020 towards the wall construction. The Biden administration has been grappling with issues relating to environmental disasters as a result of the wall, which they’re legally obligated to rectify before further construction can take place.
Plan for Mass Deportation
According to Trump’s latest plan, he intends to deport 11 million undocumented immigrants from the US, beginning with ‘criminals’. However, entering the country illegally is deemed a crime. So, the Trump team could argue that those who crossed the border without claiming asylum or initiating the immigration process are ‘criminals’.
As this mass deportation plan is part of his key 2024 campaign promise, Trump may ask Congress for funding for this project rather than for wall construction. The effectiveness of both these measures in curtailing immigration, though, remains questionable.