Was Hadrian on to Something?

I have always been a strong believer that a Nation has a duty to protect its borders. I am a proponent of controlled immigration and opposed to uncontrolled illegal immigration. To whit, my boss is Mexican and he is moving here and I am fine with that. He is doing it legally.

I remain a bit queasy with the concept of a wall on our southern border. I am of the Cold War era. The image of that monstrosity in Berlin invokes the very concept of anti-freedom. Yes, I understand one was constructed to keep people in, while the other is supposed to keep people out, but isn't that semantic difference dependent upon which side of the barrier you are standing?

Where I become confused is when Democrats claim the wall is immoral. What is immoral about securing he border? If indeed a barrier to entry is immoral, doesn't that imply that any barrier to entry into the country is immoral? What is acceptable? If not a cement wall how about fencing, landmines, crocodiles, barbed wire, roving gangs in Yankees uniforms and nail-studded baseball bats, dogs, angry badgers, ditches, a tacit pinkie swear that caravans of desperate would-be immigrants promise not to enter, snake pits, miles of yellow crime tape embossed "do not cross", pungee sticks? You tell me what would constitute a "moral" border control.

And don't tell me that protecting the border is racist. Otherwise, you would be arguing to scrap Border Control at bridges, ports, and airports. Why should would-be immigrants from India, Pakistan, China, Nigeria, Lebanon, or Poland have to follow the rules while a blind eye is turned to our southern border? That, my liberal friends, is racist.

I don't have the perfect answer. I have seen the squalor of third world countries. I understand the desperation to find a better life for your family. It should not take years to immigrate legally. Fix that. We need to disincentivize illegal entry. Go after the black market employers. Get rid of any welfare for illegals. Tax out of country money transfers. Hell, go to a national sales tax instead of income taxes so an illegal pays his fair share.

I know I am not alone in hoping Congress will actually address the issue. I have studied the late Roman Empire. I know what uncontrolled "immigration" can wreak upon a nation.

Trump was elected in part because he vowed to address illegal immigration. Polls still support border control. Maybe for once politics will not trump policy?

Fat chance.