The very best, fastest and cheapest way to secure America’s border with Mexico against *terrorists* is remarkably simple.
Offer a bounty to Mexicans for every non-Mexican they inform on trying to cross the border. The amounts offered are so small that they could easily be paid by just some rich person. And yet that border would be closed airtight to non-Mexican aliens.
All a Mexican would have to do is call a phone number and tell them the description of the crosser, and where and about when they intend to cross. In exchange they would be given a random 7 digit ID number.
They could call in a few days, and if a foreigner was caught, they would get say $500 if he was a nobody, $1000 if he was wanted, and up to $5000 if he was a big name. The informant would get the money in cash, in dollars or pesos if he wanted. No questions asked, and no mention to the Mexican government, so they couldn’t confiscate it from him.
However, the scheme would only work if the federal government would not “catch and release” non-Mexican illegal crossers, like Iranians, Pakistanis, Saudis, and other high probability terrorist suspects LIKE THEY DO NOW.
Just South of the border, there are thousands of hungry eyes, who would sell their own families for $500. Even the cartels would offer to smuggle non-Mexican foreigners across the border, but would then phone them in for the reward.
That border would be airtight. But the whole scheme ONLY WORKS if the federal government DOES NOT let those foreigners walk. It is insane for doing so.
This is one of the best ideas I have heard. If a Republican is elected, he just might go for it.