(01-29-2019, 06:27 PM)B2hibry Wrote:

(01-29-2019, 05:29 PM)jradMITEX Wrote: Lets look at the unemotional stats to refute the justification for a wall.

A wall will stop illegal drugs yet..

According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection statistics, 90 percent of heroin seized along the border, 88 percent of cocaine, 87 percent of methamphetamine, and 80 percent of fentanyl in the first 11 months of the 2018 fiscal year was caught trying to be smuggled in at legal crossing points.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/poli...591279002/

A wall will prevent illegal immigrants from reaching the country yet most illegal immigrants entered the country legally. Yet more according to new data about 2/3 of new illegal immigrants this year entered the country legally.
"It also projected that overstays made up about two-thirds of the total number of people who became unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. that year."

https://www.politifact.com/california/st...ll-people/


There's a crisis at the border, yet the number of illegal crossings is at a decades old low

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/20/us/po...gnId=7JLFJ

And the most shameless reason, one that they aren't even repeating after even Fox News checked them on it
Terrorist enter the southern border yet there has been no credible evidence of such a thing

https://abcnews.go.com/beta-story-contai...d=60209995

I guess that zero understanding of reality works both ways huh?

You know why most people are against the wall?  They don't think it will be effective and know it will cost a lot of money, much more than the initial 5.7B  numbers put it at 20B+, they see this as what it is obviously  grossly simplified solution to a complex problem, they see it as a large vanity project for Trump's self esteem.  They don't see immigrants as an invading hoard bringing death and destruction but mostly as people looking for a better life.  They see right through the fear mongering, the calls that this will prevent American society itself from collapsing.  Catchy three line campaign promises don't solve this issue.

Wouldn’t those declining numbers in recently constructed wall sectors be justification that barriers are working? Seems to prove a point. Also the fact a large percentage of drugs are being intercepted at ports of entry shows barrier funnel works as expected. Yet there are still known vulnerabilities and porous sectors. You could have garnered this from many of the DHS and CBP reports previously posted. I guess we can just go with the status quo and keep America reactionary huh? Not a problem until it is, right? Nevermind upkeep/improvement of current barriers supported by the last two Dem Presidents and by CBP’s Strategic Plan. Not sure why you are still stating the “wall” is the sole issue. You are also falsely connecting $5B+ to just the cost of the wall. Once again, claiming this is just a Trump demand/project. Keep ignoring any of the three budget sources given to you earlier to see entire breakdown of the nearly $6B request.

FYI, overstays were 42% which leaves nearly 60% illegal entry. Illegal immigration issues go beyond death and destruction. That is a grossly simplistic point of few and one the left uses as a dismissive tactic. There is human trafficking, child rape, gang flow, abuse of services, and a huge financial toll. Illegal is illegal no matter the color of lipstick. Ignorance is bliss I suppose. 

https://www.heritage.org/immigration/rep...s-taxpayer

https://www.dhs.gov/news/2019/01/07/myth...est-aliens

No one is saying that there aren't serious problems, what's evident is in no way to the above stats point to an emergency, and not a worsening situation.   Interdiction at the points of entry does not prove the funnel method is working, its much easier to hide in plain sight than to attempt to traverse open terrain, and given the fact that such a minute percentage of packages are checked at POE, drug smugglers will most likely choose to move product in these ways.  If Trump proposed increases in border security measures with only repairs and improvements to existing walls there would be little problem garnering public support for the measure.  But he wants to build a "Big beautiful wall", sea to shining sea.   If he had any strategy or tact he would take this deal and continue to push for a wall, but his base won't let that slide and he loses face if he doesn't get that big beautiful wall of vanity he promised repeatedly.  Or he can offer up DACA/TPS permanent protections and citizenship and get his wall, but I assume the right would scream AMNESTY! at the top of their lungs.  Trump fails because he can't appeal to enough people and he has been terrible at moving minds to his side.  You have to build consensus to be a capable president, Trump is terrible at this, he can only play well in front of the home crowd.   Did you see his address to America?, it was all of 8 minutes, a pretty half hearted effort, and just rehashed old themes, he is the same guy that got off the escalator and call illegal Mexican immigrants mostly rapist and murderers.  He is sticking to this strategy and this only works for republicans, its not moving independents.  You can't have a caustic personality and presence and then expect people to be willing to work with you, you can't continuously run afoul of the truth and expect people to believe anything you say.

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