Carper Statement on Executive Action to Build Wall Along the U.S. Southern Border

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), senior member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, released the following statement about President Trump’s executive order to build a new wall along the U.S. Southern border.

“Today’s executive actions by President Trump to build a new wall along the U.S. southern border may help fulfill a campaign promise but will do little to address the root causes of our challenges along the border. We already have 650 miles of fencing along our southern border with Mexico in the areas where its most effective, and the Obama Administration has made tremendous progress securing the border with smart investments in advanced surveillance technologies—such as sensors, aerostats, and cameras. These targeted investments have proven to be powerful tools for our border agents and are part of the reason why net migration from Mexico is less than zero. In fact, many experts agree the border is more secure than it has been in years.

“Spending billions to wall off the rest of the border is not a border security strategy. If President Trump is serious about securing the border, he should continue to build upon the smart investments made by the Obama Administration instead of wasting billions of taxpayer dollars on building a wall. Building a new wall is an expensive and ineffective substitute for comprehensive immigration reform, and it will show little return on investment if we don’t work with our neighbors in Central America to address root causes of migration. Most of the migrants to our southern border travel through Mexico from the Northern Triangle, where poverty, violence and desperation compel so many families to seek a better life.

“I urge President Trump to work with Congress on comprehensive immigration reform that is fair, effective and humane. Now that is a real strategy.”

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