Since 2005, the building of the border fence between the borders of US and Mexico has been one of the controversies in the US Congress. The said construction of a border fence requires funds which will be drawn from the taxes that are being paid by the tax payers of the US. Though polls, like the CNN polls and the Rasmussen Reports, show that US citizens are in favor of the construction of the border fence, the US government is still in dilemma (Bid to seal off, 2005).
The principal purposes of the construction of the border fence between the borders of US and Mexico are to mitigate the entrance of illegal drugs from Latin America to US and the increasing number of illegal migrations which has become one of the main concerns of the US government (Jones). By implementing the construction of the border fence, the US would be able to prevent the entrance of illegal movements from Mexico to US.
On November 3, 2005, the first proposal of the construction of the border fence between US and Mexico was led by a Republican Congressman Duncan Hunter (Bid to seal off, 2005). He was then the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. The bill was passed in the House of Representatives after Hunter’s amendment. While the Senate approved the bill on May 17, 2006.
On the contrary, the Mexican government took the bill as an embarrassment for the country (US border fence, 2005). It seemed that the government was implying that the Mexicans should be banned from entering the US land. Also, it appeared that the US government was blaming the Mexican government for the widespread of illegal transactions in the whole of America. Mexico was indeed insulted by the proposal to construct a border fence between the borders of US and Mexico (Heneroty).
Although the purpose of the US government for constructing the border wall between Mexico and Us is to safeguard the outbreak of illegal movements from Latin America, there are prior factors that should be considered by the US government.
The first thing that the US government should look upon is the fact that immigrants from Mexico compose the 40 percent of their labor force which contributes to the growth of the US economy. As what Ricky Perry, governor of Texas, claimed, the installation of the border wall would close its door to the potential contributors to the US economy (US border fence, 2005).
Moreover, if the border fence or border wall would be constructed between Mexico and US, lands owned by some Native American Nations would be separated so as to make a concrete distinction on the borders between US and Mexico (Bid to seal off, 2005).
Not only that the amendment on border wall would alienate some Native American Nations but such would also cause detrimental effects to wildlife and the environment on the area by which the border wall would be installed.
Another thing is that, if the government would implement the construction of border wall/border fence, it might severe its relations with Mexico having the fact that the Mexican government has been in opposition with the amendment (Heneroty).
Lastly, and the most controversial aspect of the border wall debate, is the funding of the installation of the border wall. Since the US government is the one which proposes the construction of the border fence, the US should also be the one which should shoulder the funding of it. And such would necessitate the subsidy of the border wall construction by the taxes. In a way, it would affect the over-all allotment of budget to other concerns such as education, military, social services, and others (Bid to seal off, 2005).
The recommendation that would suit the border wall case is that instead of allotting so much funds for the installation of the border fence, the US government could increase the security on the borders of US and America instead of just constructing a mere wall or fence. It would be more efficient in a sense that that strategy would be less costly and would not consume so much funds. Plus, it would be more tolerable for the Mexican government.
Works Cited
“Bid to seal off US-Mexico border.” 04 November 2005. BBC News. 09 November 2007 <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4407558.stm>
Heneroty, Kate. “Mexico president calls US border wall ’embarrassment’.” 27 October 2006. Jurist. 09 November 2007 <http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/paperchase/2006/10/mexico president-calls-us-border-wall.php>
Jones, Holly Manges. “US Republicans propose Mexican border wall to combat illegal immigration.” 04 November 2005. Jurist. 09 November 2007 <http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/paperchase/2005/11/us-republicans-propose-mexican border.php>
“US border fence plan ‘shameful’.” 19 December 2005. BBC News. 09 November 2007 <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4541606.stm>
