Trump's border wall: To build or not to build?

Voters elected Trump to build the wall

Re "Trump firm on border wall demand" (Dec. 26): One of President Trump's major campaign promises was to build the wall. He won — obviously the people want the wall built.

There is a government shutdown (don't you wish you were one of the government employees getting extra paid vacation time), because Trump wants money to work on the wall.

Congress needs to respond to the will of the people and provide funding for the wall.

The $5 billion is about one-tenth of one percent of the federal budget — a very very small price to satisfy the voters.

Dale Ranta

San Diego

GOP voters must notice they've been lied to

Trump's promise, "Mexico will pay for the wall, Mexico will pay for the wall."

So what happened?

Trump's new art of the deal, "Make taxpayers pay for the shutdown again, make taxpayers pay for the shutdown again!"

Got to love that brilliant GOP strategy.

Robert Tormey

Escondido

Dip into military budget for wall funding

If Central American refuges, mostly women and children, smuggling drugs across our southern border are the biggest threat to the defense of our country, then why not take 0.7 percent of the Department of Defense's budget of $7161 billion for the $5 billion to build the wall?

Robert Cain

Kensington

Many border walls and fences already exist

Re "Trump just wants a wall to protect Americans" (Dec. 22): Like most people who support this border wall, this reader has probably never been to the border. There is already a huge wall. It is manned day and night.

Since 9/11, security at all our borders hums like a bee hive. Border patrol officers are everywhere you look. It is not easy to get into the U.S. If not a wall than a fence stretches the length of the border.

Why is it that some Americans feel so threaten by immigrants? Murderers and rapists? Gang members? These are the very fears that have been leveled at every incoming migrant since the birth of this nation. The only people justified in hurling these accusations are Native Americans whose lands we robbed and overran in the name of Manifest Destiny.

Gregory Adams

San Diego

Don't waste money on ineffective structure

In the history of mankind, no country, ruler, or kingdom has ever built a wall that has deterred desperate or determined people from going through, around, under, or over it.

If the president really wants to spend $5 billion — probably much more — on a cement structure that won't accomplish much, here's my suggestion: Build a pyramid in one of our beautiful deserts. It won't have any more functionality than a border wall, but we know a pyramid will attract millions of tourists, which will be good for the local economy.

Richard Hicks

Cardiff-by-the-Sea

In a way, Mexico will pay for the wall

We've all heard President Trump say "We're going to build a wall and Mexico is going to pay for it!" It's estimated that illegal aliens cost the U.S. government about $135 billion a year. They pay roughly $19 billion in taxes, which leaves a negative cost of $116 billion.

Hello Democrats! Give the president the $5 billion he's asking for and let's get the wall built and border security beefed up. The U.S. can save billions of dollars each year if illegals are kept out. So in a roundabout way, Mexico will pay for the wall.

Steve Aldridge

San Diego

Let's let the experts weigh in on the wall

I am for border security. Every nation needs border security; however, I am not sure "the wall" is the answer.

I've never heard any meaningful discussion about the best way to secure our boarders. It seems that Trump gets an idea and pushes it without meaningful consultation or debate. I would like to hear a group of experts discuss the best way to secure our southern border and stop the flow of illegals into the U.S. These people need to be objective experts - not Trump "yes people".

Ronald Harris

Scripps Ranch

Letters and commentary policy

The U-T welcomes and encourages community dialogue on important public matters. Please visit this page for more details on our letters and commentaries policy. You can email letters@sduniontribune.com or leave a comment below.

Follow @UTLetters on Twitter and UTOpinion on Facebook.