Opinion: A ‘symbolic’ U.S. border wall would be a massive waste of money

To the editor: I was aghast at the comment by Mark Krikorian, who heads a tiny but loud conservative, anti-immigration think tank in Washington. He said, “Even if the wall did nothing, it would be important to get it through, because it is so essential to the message of controlling immigration.” (“Trump’s ‘big beautiful wall’ is not in the spending plan. Will it ever get built?” May 1)

Never mind the fact that the current barriers are compromised, and many scholars note that these barriers have little impact on migratory volume anyway (the demand for labor seems to have far more impact). Here, an apologist for President Trump essentially admits that the wall along the U.S.-Mexico border is mostly about symbolism.

It seems the cost of up to $70 billion just to build the wall represents a very high price for a dubious form of symbolic communication. Whatever happened to spending on infrastructure inside the United States?

Duncan Earle, San Pedro

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To the editor: How about telling the world we’ve built a high-tech stealth wall?

It’s invisible. We could send out a bunch of mimes to pretend they’re touching it. Strategically placed border agents would set off firecrackers when they see would-be crossers.

Trump, being a gifted showman who is good at creating diversions, just might go for it.

Dave Cronkey, El Cajon

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To the editor: So Trump supporters want a bigger, better wall, and they want someone else to pay for it.

Who? The Mexicans! But they said no. Congress? Nope. Taxpayers? Nope.

So let the folks who want a snazzier wall pay for it. Start a crowdfund and offer a personalized brick for every donation above, say, $50. Trump supporters can take their kids and grandkids to visit their brick as proud owners of that beautiful wall.

Joan Bloomer, Torrance

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