Analysis: Trump & The Border Wall Crisis

When someone mentions the name Donald Trump, what is the first thing you think of? To most it’s the border wall he had proposed during his 2017 campaign and once again brought up in the form of a speech he made at a press conference. Trump, interested in finally having the idea of a physical border come true, was met with the issue that the democratic party was not compliant in funding the wall. A government shutdown was declared and has stretched into a nearly month-long shutdown, the longest partial shutdown in U.S. history. Though 65% of voters disagree with Trump’s intense move, it drags on and has only grown more controversial. 


Recently, at the Oval Office, Trump ranted a speech in order to inform the public on the democratic party’s disinclination towards financing the southern border wall while promoting the idea of constructing it.  After warning of what has often been referred to as the “growing humanitarian crisis at the southern border” he continued to blame the democratic party for their ignorance to said crisis thereby causing unwillingness to fund what he has deemed a reasonable solution.


“We can’t have people pouring into our country like they have been over the last 10 years!” Trump said, seemingly unaware of the fact that over the last two decades, illegally crossing the U.S. border has declined. In fact, in 2017, the rate of illegal border crossing was the lowest it’s been since 1971. Yet the number of arrests for illegal border crossing seems to be increasing due to the amount of families needing to migrate considering they fear returning to/staying in their home countries. Therefore, the number of arrests has grown because those travelling with children and family.


Trump greatly fears overpopulation of the U.S., the loss of jobs because of immigrants in need of them, the introduction of more heroin (brought in by Mexican immigrants) and is overall frankly insensitive towards the issue; but with the action taken by the democrats shows Trump that he may have to find another way to see his precious wall built.


-Danica Wilson, The Victoria Voice School Newspaper