Readers React: Building a wall would effectively cede U.S. land to Mexico. What does Trump think about that?

To the editor: President Trump shut down parts of the federal government because he couldn’t get congressional funding for his wall. Mexico won’t pay either.

We can’t build a wall on the Mexican side of the Rio Grande across from Texas, and it can’t be done down the middle of the river either. So, the effect of building Trump’s wall is that we will be ceding the north bank of the Rio Grande to Mexico.

Walls are built to keep people out, but they’re also built to keep people in. Americans won’t be fishing or letting their cattle drink from the north bank anymore — and Trump wants Americans to pay for what amounts to ceding much of our border to Mexico.

Keith Ensminger, Merced, Calif.

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To the editor: A wall along the U.S.-Mexico border does not threaten anyone besides those who seek to come to the United States illegally. In fact, it would be an incentive for people to immigrate legally.

I find it preposterous that we have to bargain with our elected officials to enforce our laws after they took an oath of office to do so.

John Henry, Culver City

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To the editor: Trump wants $5 billion to start building a border wall. The Democrats and some Republicans in Congress agreed to a $1.6-billion increase in spending on border security that does not include a wall.

Before the shutdown, Trump indicated that he would agree to this, then he reneged. The expectation now is that the Democrats will increase their offer. This would merely reward Trump for his tantrum.

The Democrats should decrease their offer until Trump caves. Trump rejects $1.3 billion? The next offer should be $900 million. If Trump rejects that, offer $500 million.

Randall Gellens, San Diego

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To the editor: Dear God, please let our president understand that a government shutdown is a lousy way to get a point across.

All it really does is hurt innocent people, the government employees who go to work every day to keep our agencies functioning. The general population is also hurt by a worsening economy and the lack of many government services.

Please, God, send the president a tweet.

Julius Hirsch, Henderson, Nev.

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