Fencing the Problem:
Issues of Immigration For years now immigration has been a growing concern for the people of The United States of America. “Today the population of illegal immigrants goes to more than 16 million” (Why Build a Border Wall?). What can we do to stop the overflow of illegal immigration in the country? What precautions should we take to be one step closer to safer lives? Problems involving immigrants in the country are issues of overpopulation, terrorism, and unemployment. Immigration in America might cause tremendous controversy among the citizens of the U.S. but what is the point of a border? McCutcheon states that “A border symbolizes the hardened and fixed borderline that marks clear distinction between territories where particular people belong” (Crossing the Border? Good Luck!) It is no surprise that the number of illegal immigrants raises ever year and nothing seems to work. What is this doing to the everyday lives of Americans? When will America run out of breathing room for everyone in the country? Of course there are borders and fences that stop illegal immigration, but the borders can only stop so many people a year. Ignoring the laws set forth by the American government, these immigrants enter the country and unnoticeably assimilate themselves into the culture of the United States. The crime rate of Mexican Drug cartels, gangs, and other groups of immigrants is a major problem in the United States. The percent of inmates in prisons and jails who are illegal
Olsen 2 immigrants now nears twenty percent (Fixing the Borders). An average of ten thousand illegal immigrants crosses the border every day and over three million cross illegally a year. There is a variety of different reasons people cross illegally into the country; some with the intent to smuggle drugs, some with the intent to kill, and some with the intent to start a new life and earn money for their families. “Arrests on the border have exceeded one million every year since 1980” (Dunn). When immigrants are caught trying to cross the border, they are usually detained and sent back to Mexico. For every illegal immigrant it costs ninety dollars a day to keep each one of them detained, which adds up after a while. Some immigrants will go as far as stealing citizens identity’s in order to make money in the U.S. The reasons behind immigrating to America are understandable, but only cause trouble to the American people.
With at least 500,000 illegal immigrants entering the country each year, another factor that inhibits the implementation of immigration policies arises. Being a democratic nation, the United States relies on its citizens to assist in the making and carrying out of laws and policies. In the case of immigration policy, in order for these policies to be successful, the government must have the cooperation and support of the United States’ citizens. In this desire for the support and ability to trust in its people, the government also needs the willingness of citizens to aid in the process of detecting illegal immigrants. However, for one reason or another, the people of the United States often do not live up their responsibilities as citizens, and simply ignore their obligation to report illegal immigrants to the government. For example, when an employer hires an illegal immigrant for nothing more than cheap labor, that employer is not adhering to the policies set forth by law. Immigration since the sixties has only continued to rise

Olsen 3 and it seems like there is nothing we can do to stop it. In the article “Why Build a Border Wall,” Jones has a great chart representing the amount of illegal immigrants