Op-ed: We need real border security now

Reasonable people on both sides of the political debate can disagree about the right way to stop the flow of illegal drugs into our country and regulate our immigration system. But the current crisis, manufactured by the president’s decision to shut down our government unless he gets a border wall, does nothing to address these concerns.

The fact is, national security experts, including the president’s own chief of staff, agree the border wall is an expensive and ineffective way to achieve our common goal of fewer illegal border crossings and stopping the flow of illegal drugs. As I’ve stated before, a wall is a 12th century solution to a 21st century problem.

Most undocumented people in the United States are here through visa overstays — something a border wall would do nothing to address. And despite the president’s claim that illicit drugs are flowing across the border, the overwhelming majority of these drugs arrive in legal ports of entry and through cars — again, something that a border wall would do nothing to combat. If we want to get serious about fixing these problems, then we need to have an honest conversation about the challenges we face.

READ MORE AT THE FRESNO BEE HERE