Theater of the Absurd

Reasonable people support smart and reasonable border security.  That this has become a crisis is not supported by the facts. 

For starters the number of apprehended individuals at the southern border has declined 75 percent in the past two decades — from 1.6 million in 2000 to 397,000 last year. 

The number of undocumented immigrants in the United States is at a 15-year low.  Of those undocumented immigrants that are here – most of them arrived here legally and have overstayed their visas.  The truth is that they exceed the number who crossed a border illegally by almost two to one. 

Immigrants - legal and illegal - commit fewer crimes than native-born Americans.  The truth is that there has never been a terrorist attack in the United States carried out by terrorists who entered the United States from Mexico.  

To be sure there is a problem with undocumented immigrants and drugs entering the United States.  Nevertheless, it is also a fact that most drugs and undocumented immigrants arrive through legal ports of entry. 

It is also a fact that there is a real immigration problem on the border - Central American migrants have figured out that by showing up at the border in family units, they will be admitted into the country pending the adjudication of an asylum claim.  As a consequence of this the asylum system is overwhelmed and adjudications take what seems like forever. It is a fact that very few Central Americans succeed in their asylum claims.  Yet, almost all end up staying here.  This is because long before the case receives a hearing these would-be migrants can disappear into the U.S. labor market.  Poof!  The truth is that this is a problem.  However, the fix to that particular problem is not a wall. 

This is all quite logical to me – walls take a long time to build.  First of all you have to design your wall.  Then you have to perform the very un-republican act of condemnation and expropriation of privately-owned property by means of imminent domain.  Once you have gotten past the laughable notion of pulling this-off in south Texas – you still have to excavate, grade and build your wall.  That aside – walls make poor barriers.  A determined individual will tunnel under it, climb over it or go around it.  That is the truth – I’m not making it up.  Yeah, I know, railing about a wall can gin-up the faithful and cause rally attendees to get sweaty and aroused.  Nevertheless, with the exception of strategic and specific tactical applications walls are not as impactful on criminal activity as staffing and technological interdiction at legal ports of entry.   

The solution to the Central American  asylum problem is to get more adjudicators into the asylum system.  Right now. This can happen faster than the couple of years it will take to build a wall.  If cases are resolved fast, and border-crossers removed promptly, the surge of asylum seekers will abate.  Just like in 2015 after a crack down on the 2014 Central American border surge. 

Beyond that I’m not sure that there is anything to negotiate.  

I may be wrong but I think there is a very low probability of the Democrats caving on the shutdown.  Paying ransom for hostages only encourages more of the same bad behavior.  Just ask the Israelis.  Besides, Trump has said over and over - Mexico will pay for his wall.  That is the truth. 

In closing I would like to add that my disdain for liars refuses to be tempered. 

The truth hurts sometimes…