Build That Wall

Unlike many other Trump critics during the 2016 primary and general election seasons, I was never opposed in principle to the idea of a wall along the southern border. Trump’s presentation of the idea was ridiculous, to be sure, as was his suggestion that Mexico would pay for it. But the concept of a wall itself was a good one, for both practical and psychological reasons. There can be no doubt that the border was far from secure during Barack Obama’s tenure in the White House, and though things have improved somewhat since then, much work remains.

But Trump’s spotty record of keeping his promises and staying consistent on the issues, from his professional life to his public political statements, made it seem at the time that his pledge to build a wall would likely be quickly forgotten, should he ever achieve the presidency. There was no evidence that Trump, beneath all his bluster, had the ability to fight both the Democrats and the bipartisan caucus of limitless-immigration advocates in Washington, to the point necessary to change the border situation to any meaningful degree.

That situation has improved, to be sure, more than we had reason to hope. But that improvement is only temporary, unless the Trump administration can find a way to make a large-scale, tangible, and permanent change at the southern border. Something big and beautiful, maybe.

The wall seems to have faded in priority within the Trump administration. Aside from it being politically stupid for the administration to let such a major campaign promise go unfulfilled, it would be a border enforcement measure that future administrations would find next to impossible to reverse. It needn’t stretch along the entire border, either—just an added, highly visible security measure along the most troublesome portions. But it would send a clear message to all those who seek to enter the country illegally: America is a country of law and order.