U.S.

Marshal Doubts on Border Wall

By: Kara Harris

U.S. Marshal David Gonzales has doubts on the proposed border wall being the
key to solving illegal immigration, he listed his reasons with journalism students at
Arizona State University.
“I deal with immigration issues because I am responsible for all the federal
prisoners, that get arrested. Today, this morning I have about 5,000 prisoners in
custody, and 80 percent of those arrestees are on immigration-related charges of all
kinds,” said Gonzales.
According to the Census Bureau’s 2016 American Community Survey, a total of
78,200 documented and undocumented immigrants have migrated into Arizona from
2010 to 2016.
“I don’t think, personally think, a wall is going to stop people from coming into this
country,” said Gonzales.
The border wall has become the center of much controversy amongst citizens.
Some believe that it will provide efficient increase in safety, while others believe that it
will not be effective in terms of stopping the problems along the border from entering the
states.
The issue of illegal immigration has been a continued struggle within congress
with numerous programs enacted to help relations along the border. A example of those
attempted legislative agreements includes the Bracero Program, which was passed in
1942 and cut in 1964, that allowed Mexican immigrants to enter as guest workers under
agricultural labor contracts.
Gonzales mentioned the Bracero program and talked about how he was in favor
of the development of similar guest worker programs in the future. He said that people
who want to come to this country to provide for their families would benefit from
programs such as this.
The popularity on the issue of border control has not always been as relevant as
it is now, according to Gonzales.
“Now, you look back with my grandparents, they came to the US and my great
grandparents, there wasn’t really a wall there. People came back and forth and back
and forth,” said Gonzales.
Gonzales said that the state of the border has become more complex over time
due to the increase in people crossing the border illegally. According to the Pew
Research Center, Phoenix ranks number 10 as one of the top metro areas with the
largest number of undocumented immigrants.
There are different motives held by those that are choosing to cross the border
illegally: some are desperate to escape the countries that they are fleeing from in hopes
to gain opportunity.
 “If I was desperate and lived in Mexico or El Salvador, or Nicaragua and I wanted
to make a better life for my country. You know where I would be going,” Gonzales
affirmed the United States.
The matter of immigration is rooted in the founding of this country.
“All of our relatives got kicked out of a country in one form or another or came
here for a better life. All of us, all of our families did,” said Gonzales.
The Marshal’s doubts on the effectiveness of the proposed border wall is not one
that disregards the need to examine the records of those in the country.
“I think we should know who is in this country and those people with criminal
backgrounds should not be here,” said Gonzales.
The nearing deadline for the proposed border wall prototype is October 26.
Congress has allocated $20 million to go toward the prototype, but has yet to confirm
funding for official construction.