What You Should Know About the Wall and Its Cost While President Trump Shuts Down Government.

Trump latest “wall” proposal now is costing $7.5 Billion.

$800 Million for humanitarian assistance

$805 Million for drug detection at ports of entry

2750 additional border agents x $57,750=$159 million

75 new immigration judges for backlog of 900,000 cases – 75 x $150,000=$11 million

Allowing Central American minors to apply for asylum in their home countries

$5.7 BILLION for physical barriers

Total=$7.5 Billion and there needs to be 150 more judges (vs. 75) plus $1 million for paralegals

Value of services lost in shutdown

All pay owed No. of workers Furloughed Lost labor
Transportation $350,000,000 46,100 9,100 $69,088,937
Agriculture $300,000,000 95,000 44,000 $138,947,368
Interior $300,000,000 65,000 48,000 $221,538,462
Treasury $410,000,000 82,000 36,000 $180,000,000
Homeland Security $1,000,000,000 245,000 32,000 $130,612,245
Commerce $130,000,000 45,000 14,000 $40,444,444
Justice $700,000,000 107,000 12,000 $78,504,673
HHS $150,000,000 33,000 8,000 $36,363,636
HUD $55,000,000 7,400 6,100 $45,337,838
EPA $110,000,000 14,000 13,100 $102,928,571
NASA $140,000,000 18,000 17,200 $133,777,778
TOTAL 3,645,000,000 757,500 239,500 $1,180,000,000

Source: Department filings, New York Times

LOST TAX REVENUES

An additional cost is lower tax revenues. Kevin Hassett, chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisors says that the economic cost is about $10 million an hour and $1.7 million less in taxes for each hour. That is $41 million a day x 30 days=$1.2 Billion in lost taxes.

So, add the $7.5 Billion with the lost $1.2 Billion and the cost is $8.7 Billion

Border Wall with Mexico

The border with Mexico is 1900 miles long through California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. One third or 654 miles has a security  fencing with 354 having a pedestrian barrier, the rest are vehicle barriers. Plus even 18 foot steel tall barriers can be scaled in seconds by athletic people and makeshift ladders can afford  others access. And then there is digging under the wall/fencing.

The existing border fence cost $2.4 billion to build the rest will cost between $15 billion and $25 billion with annual maintenance of $700 Million according to Marc Roseblum, Deputy Directof the US Immigration Policy Program.

Trump has indicated that MEXICO will pay for it. Mexico says no chance. So now President Trump is asking the tax payers of the US to pay for it. There are two issues – (1) any President using passage of budget to get a program approved, and (2) where does the money come from. Everybody agrees that immigration and border measures are needed – the issue is what kind and how to pay for it.

Existing Barriers Along Southwest Border

There were 303,916 border apprehensions in 2017, a 26% drop from 2016. Most of the apprehensions were people presenting themselves to border agents and seeking asylum. Most of these are occurring near the southern tip of Texas, Rio Grande Valley.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apprehensions At U.S. Border Patrol Sectors in Fiscal 2017

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Estimated Costs on Trump’s Wall Plan Vary Wildly

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two-thirds of the land along the border is private or state-owned. And most of that land is in Texas, where much of the border does not already have fencing. The Trump administration would probably need to use eminent domain to acquire the remaining land needed to complete a border wall.

Learn more – Bloomburg-

Trump raised the pressure Tuesday, saying he’d be willing to shut down the federal government this week if Congress does not approve his border security proposal, which includes the wall.

There are two key questions regarding immigration: (1) how to create a path to naturalization for illegal immigrants currently living in the US, (2) how to pay for a wall and (3) will a physical wall solve this problem. Focusing on Texas with a wall/fence is ideal but where will the next location be, close one, pops up someplace else.

Alternative technologies to secure the border- Learn MoreWe need a smart border wall

What Agencies Would be Affected by Government Shutdown- 75% of budget already funded. Shutdown- Effects