The US-Mexico Border Wall: Historical Context, Impact, and Challenges

This research paper delves into the contentious issue of the US-Mexico border wall, providing a comprehensive analysis of its historical context, construction, and implications. The paper begins by outlining the historical events leading to the wall's construction, including the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and the establishment of the U.S. Border Patrol. It then explores the wall's impact on illegal immigration, drug trafficking, and transnational terrorism, examining both the perceived benefits and the challenges associated with its construction. The paper also addresses the financial costs, environmental concerns, and political controversies surrounding the border wall, including the debate over who should bear the financial burden. Furthermore, the paper discusses the challenges of building the wall, including the issues of visa overstays and the impact on neighboring relations. Ultimately, the paper concludes by evaluating the effectiveness of the wall and its role in US border security, offering insights into the ongoing debates and controversies surrounding this significant issue.

Running head: RESEARCH PAPER
Research Paper
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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Historic Events.................................................................................................................................2
Border wall and its impact...............................................................................................................4
Border Fences Reduce Risk of Transnational Terrorist Attacks.....................................................5
Challenges of Building wall............................................................................................................5
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................6
Bibliography....................................................................................................................................7

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Title: Should the U.S. build a wall along the border with Mexico?
Introduction
United States has made a wall for structure border in Southern face, which is shared by
Mexico for almost 2000 miles long. The wall and the fence have operated with a high security
system along with sensor and cameras. The U.S Border Patrol operates the southern border. One-
third part of the border is secured with high features of security system for prevention of illegal
immigration.
In the process of the building making, it costs almost $12 billion to $15 billion. A plan
has formed where the amounts of the building will provided by different organizations.
According to the recent report, Architects specialist has stated that it affect the environment
where water, climate changing and wildlife has suffered more damages. A bigger issue has found
about the importance whether the visa overstays or illegal border crossings through the U.S. –
Mexican border.
Historic Events
Mexico and United States barrier has set a walls and fences, which is control by the U.S
states border for preventing illegal migration from Mexico to United States. The United States
Border Patrol control and monitor the security system through the wall sensor and cameras. The
wall is constructed since 1994 for the prevention in the illegal drug operation in Latin America
and unwanted illegal immigration throughout the countries in Operation Gatekeeper in
California, Operation Hold-the-Line in Texas, and Operation Safeguard in Arizona.

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In the late history of the Mexican War with U.S. (1846-1848), they signed the Treaty of
Guadalupe Hidalgo, which formalizes the U.S.-Mexico border. The war began due to the
Mexican attack on the American troop in the southern border of Texas. After several
insurgencies and rebellions occurred, within the territory of Mexico, it affects on the Texas
revolution and they got independence. After the war is over in between Mexico and U.S., they
have come for a treaty, which named Treaty of Guadalupe and establishes friendship, settlement
and peace (Payan).
The Immigration Act of 1924 establishes the U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) to fight with
smuggling and illegal immigration. They prevent the operation of terrorists and their mission for
trafficking of people and illegal terrorists weapons. They have 21,394 agents in the border force
for controlling and preventing U.S. Mexican international border which almost 2000 miles. In
this border, they monitor the illegal drug trafficking and illegal border crossing.
The 9/11 causes the U.S. to tighten border security. It was one of the historical disasters
in the American history. It changes the concept of the immigration in U.S. The government has
changes several polices which affect on the scenario of the immigration process. The
Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) has tightened the border protection, which helps
on the impacts of the border and custom securities.
In fiscal year 2005, the record has stated that violence against Border Patrol agents
increases to more than 750 assaults, which is an increase of 108% from 2004. A number of
complaints have found about the allegation abuses while they are patrolling on the area. The
abuses are beatings, rapes, homicides or demanding money.

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Congress passes the Secure Fence Act, a multi-billion-dollar bill that authorizes some
700 miles of new fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border. The Congressional Research Service
has identified the issues where the strong indication helps them to control the illegal
immigration. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has submitted one report that stated
the U.S.-Mexico border fence had breached 9,287 times and for the recovering of the disputes
each breached caused $784.
Donald Trump promises that, if he elected, he will build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico
border and make Mexico pay for it. After the election, the Mexico has determined that they will
not pay for it. The U.S government will look after the issues (Payan).
Border wall and its impact
It is necessary to protect the wall from illegal immigration. The U.S. Border Patrol
Agency where they look for the illegal border crossing controls the Security. The Mexicans has
the highest records of illegal border crossing where most of them get the citizenship in U.S. The
1951 miles border always found with several issues regarding the illegal border crossing. The
U.S. government has identified legal and illegal immigration every year. They are tightened the
security force and distinct the security measures. For the insecurity and instability environment
in the southern border, make the impacts of the importance to sign the actual bill. Day by day,
the border force has improving the security system and the U.S. government invested a huge
amount to build the wall between Mexico- U.S. borders. The border has enforced the patrolling
system, which is of the greatest mission for the U.S. mission. The United States has always
detected the illegal entry and tried to prevent the issues. The Border protection officers,
enforcement officers help in maintain of the border protection facilities from the illegal

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immigration. The government also takes several initiatives for the protection of the immigration
system (Payan). They have formed several treaties like Operation Gatekeeper in San Diego, CA,
Operation Hold the Line in El Paso, TX, Operation Rio Grande in McAllen, TX, Operation
Safeguard in Tucson, AZ, and the Arizona Border Control Initiative (ABCI) along the Arizona
border.
Border Fences Reduce Risk of Transnational Terrorist Attacks
The security Fence Act 206 has enacted for providing the high featured securities in the
border areas and it helps to protect 700 miles of constructed border. The Government
Accountability Office helps in the release of the report, which consists of the percentages of
illegal border crossing (Casey, Edward, and Mary).
The continuation of building the wall helps in the prevention of the terrorist attack. The
devastating illegal immigration along with the biological, chemical or radiological weapons is
one of the serious issues in U.S. The border provides the high standard security for the country
and prevent from illegal attacks. However, it affected the environment, which affect on the
water, wildlife and hundreds of people. The Federation for American Immigration Reform
(FAIR) has overviewed the current statements in the border fence.
Challenges of Building wall
The Donald Trump’s wall between the U.S. and Mexico is operated by four American
Stats, which include California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. It has costs a huge amount,
which is completely impossible to arrange in short term. According to the plan to build the wall,
it will cost almost $17 million but the issue is to arrange the amount in short time. Building a

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wall caused a great threat of the neighboring relation with Mexico. In the Democratic Country,
spending a huge amount and maintaining the political and neighbor relationship is one of the
important issues.
The issues of visa overstays is also another issue for the Mexico – U.S. border securities.
The people, who come to visits U.S from Mexico, used the visa process. In somehow it is the
failure from the U.S government that they failed to identify the visas of overstays. It is necessary
that the Immigration Authority will protect their structure to identify the issues and control the
immigration process (Casey, Edward, and Mary).
Conclusion
There are several controversies has found while building the U.S-Mexico borders. Some
of the methods, policies and treaties have failed to work accordingly. The trespassers sometimes
used to cut the fences or damage the walls of digging the hole to enter illegally in U.S. In the
process of maintenance, the U.S. government spent extra amounts which exceeding the cost of
building the wall (Payan).

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Bibliography
Brown, Wendy. Walled states, waning sovereignty. Mit Press, 2017.
Casey, Edward S., and Mary Watkins. Up against the wall: Re-imagining the US-Mexico border.
University of Texas Press, 2014.
Payan, Tony. The Three US-Mexico Border Wars: Drugs, Immigration, and Homeland Security:
Drugs, Immigration, and Homeland Security. ABC-CLIO, 2016.
Rael, R., 2017. Borderwall as Architecture: A Manifesto for the US-Mexico Boundary. Univ of
California Press.
Slack, Jeremy, et al. "The geography of border militarization: Violence, death and health in
Mexico and the United States." Journal of Latin American Geography 15.1 (2016): 7-32.
Wastl-Walter, D., 2014. Borders, fences and walls: State of insecurity?. Ashgate Publishing,
Ltd..