'SHOW ME A 20 FOOT WALL AND I'LL SHOW YOU A 21 FOOT LADDER'

Why should anyone be surprised? The border wall, or fence, was built to keep illegal immigrants from crossing the border into the U.S. and not to keep illegal drugs from coming in.

SURPRISE TO NO ONE: DRUG SMUGGLING INCREASED AFTER BORDER WALL BUILT

Grits for Breakfast
September 18, 2011

Drug smuggling in the Rio Grande Valley increased after the much-touted border wall went up in the area, a Sheriff's lieutenant told a community meeting yesterday. Reported the McAllen Monitor ("Impact of border wall discussed at meeting," Sept. 18):

__Drug trafficking from Mexico into Cameron County has increased, not decreased, since the border fence was built, a sheriff’s lieutenant said Saturday at a public meeting.

__It was one of many points discussed at the “Border Wall Impact” meeting hosted by State Senator Eddie Lucio Jr. at the Fort Brown Memorial Golf Course. The event brought together legislators, city representatives, state and county law enforcement and private citizens to air concerns about the fence.

__“Is the fence keeping drugs from coming in? No,” Lieutenant Rick Perez said responding to a question. “We have more drugs now than before.”

__Perez is part of the special investigations unit of the Cameron County Sheriff’s Department.

This outcome was as predictable as the sunrise. Law enforcement has known for years that most drug trafficking happens at the legal checkpoints, not in between them. Even in between the checkpoints, the wall can be easily defeated with tactics ranging from flying ultralight aircraft to drop drugs on the other side to flinging drugs with large catapults to waiting accomplices on the US side. Anyway, show me a 20 foot wall and I'll show you a 21 foot ladder.

This was never more than symbolism, and even Governor Rick Perry can see a border wall adds little to border security. But state Rep. Rene Oliveira told the audience, “The wall is here whether we like it or not ... I don’t think anybody is going to tear it down. The political will is clearly nonexistent for that.” For my part, I wouldn't be so pessimistic. There were many years when one could easily say there was "no political will" to bring down the Berlin Wall, but eventually the wall fell. Who knows, maybe if Rick Perry is elected president, he'll go to Congress and demand, echoing Ronald Reagan, that they "tear down this wall."