Last updated on: 10/22/2015 11:16:12 AM PST
Should the United States Continue to Build the Fence/Wall along the US-Mexico Border?
Pro (Yes)
Pro
"A nation without borders is not a nation. There must be a wall across the southern border... Mexico must pay for the wall and, until they do, the United States will, among other things: impound all remittance payments derived from illegal wages; increase fees on all temporary visas issued to Mexican CEOs and diplomats (and if necessary cancel them); increase fees on all border crossing cards – of which we issue about 1 million to Mexican nationals each year (a major source of visa overstays); increase fees on all NAFTA worker visas from Mexico (another major source of overstays); and increase fees at ports of entry to the United States from Mexico [Tariffs and foreign aid cuts are also options]. We will not be taken advantage of anymore."
Source: Donald Trump for President, Inc., "Immigration Reform That Will Make America Great Again," www.donaldjtrump.com (accessed Sep. 25, 2015)
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Con (No)
Con
"Having served as Governor of a border state, Gary Johnson understands immigration. He understands that a robust flow of labor, regulated not by politics, but by the marketplace, is essential. He understands that a bigger fence will only produce taller ladders and deeper tunnels, and that the flow of illegal immigrants across the border is not a consequence of too little security, but rather a legal immigration system that simply doesn't work. Militarizing the border, bigger fences, and other punitive measures espoused by too many politicians are all simplistic "solutions' to a problem caused by artificial quotas, bureaucratic incompetence and the shameful failure of Congress to actually put in place an immigration system that matches reality."
Source: Gary Johnson 2016, “Immigration,” garyjohnson2016.com (accessed Apr. 20, 2016)
Con
"We do not think that the violation of human rights - and we see immigration rights essentially as human rights - we don't think that the violation of those rights, the building of a border wall, the targeting and deportation of families, splitting up families, and sending immigrants back to their home communities, we don’t think that's a solution here."
Source: Uprising Radio, "How Green Party Presidential Candidate Jill Stein Differs from the Two Major Parties," uprisingradio.org, Sep. 27, 2012
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Not Clearly Pro or Con
"[Hillary] Clinton: There may be places where a physical barrier is appropriate. I think when both of us [Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama] voted for this, we were voting for the possibility that where it was appropriate and made sense, it would be considered... So I would have a review. I would listen to the people who live along the border, who understand what it is we need to be doing to protect our country...
[John] King: Does that mean that you think your vote was wrong, or the implementation of it was wrong?...
Clinton: But, you know, John, there is -- there's a lot we've learned about technology and smart fencing. You know, there is technology that can be used instead of a physical barrier. It requires us having enough personnel along the border so that people can be supervising a certain limited amount of space and will be able to be responsive in the event of people attempting to cross illegally. I think that the way that the Bush administration is going about this, filing eminent domain actions against landowners and municipalities, makes no sense.
So what I have said is, yes, there are places when after a careful review, again listening to the people who live along the border, there may be limited places where it would work. But let's deploy more technology and personnel, instead of the physical barrier.
I frankly think that will work better and it will give us an opportunity to secure our borders without interfering with family relations, business relations, recreation and so much else that makes living along the border, you know, wonderful."
Source: "The CNN Democratic Presidential Debate in Texas," cnn.com, Feb. 21, 2008
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FORMER CANDIDATES
(Candidates who have withdrawn or who no longer meet our criteria appear below in black and white and in alphabetical order.)
Pro (Yes)
Pro
"As noted in Immigration Wars, fencing is a component of border security. When combined with surveillance technology and agents to detect and respond to crossings, fencing or other barriers can serve several purposes, including: (1) deterring illegal entries by making it more difficult to cross the border, (2) facilitating enforcement by increasing the time available to respond and apprehend people, and (3) steering dangerous criminals and traffickers away from populated areas, improving public safety. Sufficient funding should be provided to maintain, improve, and expand fences where appropriate (e.g., based on the terrain along the border or the proximity of populated areas)."
Source: Jeb Bush, "Securing the Border and Enforcing Our Immigration Laws," jeb2016.com, Aug. 3, 2015
Pro
"This [fence] is a nice small impediment that certainly wouldn't keep anybody out... You need to have agents. This will slow them down, agents will stop them. A wall or a fence is a good thing, but not in isolation."
Source: Matthew Boyle, "Dr. Ben Carson: Current Border Fence 'Certainly Wouldn't Keep Me Out,'" www.breitbart.com, Aug. 21, 2015
Pro
"Governor Christie has called for securing the border with Mexico through... A border wall where appropriate, specifically in urbanized areas."
Source: "Taking on the Tough Issues," chrischristie.com (accessed Oct. 28, 2015)
Pro
"I've been leading the fight in the Senate to triple the Border Patrol, to put in place fencings and walls, to put in place a strong biometric exit/entry system."
Source: The Washington Post, "Wednesday's GOP Debate Transcript, Annotated," washingtonpost.com, Sep. 16, 2015
Pro
"First and foremost, we need to hire, train, and deploy new Border Patrol agents and complete the border fence."
Source: Lindsey Graham 2016, "Secure the Border and Fix Illegal Immigration," www.lindseygraham.com (accessed Sep. 21, 2015)
Pro
"Seal the border within a year... Think about being able to build a secure border. We can do that and we can certainly do it in less than a year. So that's what we should do. It's what I’ve pledged to do. As President, it's what I will do."
Source: Todd Beamon, "Mike Huckabee: I Will Secure Border within a Year if Elected," www.newsmax.com, July 30, 2015
Pro
"In my opinion, there is a solution here to this issue of immigration. Finish the wall. And make it clear. Anybody that comes over that wall once we have done it, you're going back. And then the 12 million that are here, legalize them, but make sure we don't have anybody — any of the criminal element here and have a guest-worker program."
Source: Jennifer Rubin, "John Kasich Is the Un-Trump," www.washingtonpost.com, Aug, 17,2015
Pro
"While serving in the Senate, I introduced legislation that would make immigration reform conditional on Congress voting on whether the border is secure, requiring completion of a border fence in five years and a protection against the federal government establishing a national identification card system for citizens."
Source: Rand Paul, "Rand Paul Opposes Amnesty and Believes We Must Secure the Border While Encouraging Legal Immigration," randpaul.com (accessed Oct. 5, 2015)
Pro
"Here's the way forward: First, we must - we must secure our border, the physical border, with a wall, absolutely. But we also need to have an entry/exit tracking system. 40 percent of the people who come here illegally come legally, and then they overstay the visa. We also need a mandatory e-verify system."
Source: The Washington Post, "Wednesday's GOP Debate Transcript, Annotated," washingtonpost.com, Sep. 16, 2015
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Con (No)
Con
"As president, Senator Bernie Sanders will...
Oppose tying immigration reform to the building of a border fence. Undocumented workers come to the United States to escape economic hardship and political persecution. Tying reform to unrealistic and unwise border patrol proposals renders the promise illusory for millions seeking legal status."
Source: Bernie Sanders, "A Fair and Humane Immigration Policy," berniesanders.com (accessed Oct. 5, 2015)
[Editor's Note: On Sep. 14, 2006 Bernie Sanders voted No on the Secure Fence Act (HR 6061). The bill mandated that the United States complete 700 miles of physical barriers along the US-Mexico border.]
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Not Clearly Pro or Con
"I don't think walls are particularly effective. I mean, if that's what it took to do it, I would do it, North or South. But I think technology has advanced to the point where it is far quicker, far less expensive, and actually far more effective to deploy technology."
Source: "Fiorina on Securing Borders: "I Don't Think Walls Are Particularly Effective," buzzfeed.com, Sep. 2, 2015
Not Clearly Pro or Con
"Promote Smart, 21st-Century Border Security. Existing border security efforts can be wasteful and disruptive to border communities, while failing to address the fluid factors that drive migration. O'Malley will commit the resources needed to modernize and strengthen the border while respecting the rights of border communities. O'Malley will ensure that our border is secure through the strategic use of personnel and technology, extensive training and support for immigration officers, and policies that address the root causes of migration."
Source: "Immigration Reform," martinomalley.com, July 14, 2015
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