Only six hundred fifty-two point seven miles are fenced along the border, meaning about two-thirds of the border is completely unprotected. Only thirty-six point three miles actually have effective double-layer fencing to protect the border from illegals trying to enter. In many places, everyday civilians are trying to help protect the border in some of the most dangerous areas with inhospitable terrain. These civilians can not do everything that needs to be done to protect the border. Although they observe and report what they see to authorities, they can not arrest or deport illegals that are caught in the act of crossing the border. Recent numbers have shown that arrests and deportations of illegal immigrants are down, but there is still a large number of illegal immigrants entering the United States every …show more content…
Lamar Smith, a Texas Representative says, “Illegal immigrants already strain the economy with education and healthcare costs”(Lamar). That statement is very true; illegal immigrants come into the country and get an education for their children, and health care, which gets paid for by United States citizens, who work hard for their money. According to the estimates made by The Federation for American Immigration Reform, “the total cost of K-12 education for illegal immigrant minors and U.S. born children of illegal immigrants is twenty-eight point six billion per year”(Smith). That much money is being spent because the border is weak and it allows illegals to use America’s systems to get what they want without paying for it. Taxes also help to pay for border protection, so why spend tax money for illegal immigrants to abuse America’s systems, when the money could be paying for border protection? The border needs to be better protected so that Americans are not supporting illegal immigrants to live in the United