Dem
47
GOP
53
The conservative U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has made an important ruling about the U.S.-Mexican border. For years now, Texas has effectively had its own immigration policy, which is in conflict with the federal one. Texas' policy is simple: No immigrants. The court ruled that Texas can continue putting razor wire, floating barriers, and other obstacles in the path of would-be immigrants, and Border Patrol agents may not remove them.
Now fast forward to Jan. 20. There will be a new sheriff in town and the new one very much applauds what Texas is doing and will surely encourage it to continue and possibly will agree to pick up part of the cost. Of course, the U.S. Supreme Court could overturn the Fifth Circuit on the grounds that only the feds may defend the border. However, if Donald Trump puts his seal of approval on what Texas is doing, then the "state" operation de facto becomes a federal operation and is then certainly permissible. One of the arguments in the circuit case was that the razor wire was injuring people. The court was not impressed with that argument.
If the Supreme Court upholds the Fifth Circuit, then protecting the border with floating barrels and rolls of razor wire will be officially approved. These are much cheaper and easier to deploy than building a wall (and getting Mexico to pay for it). One other thing Trump could do fairly quickly is order the Army Corps of Engineers to dredge the Rio Grande on the U.S. side of the river to make it 10 feet deep. Right now, there are places it is shallow enough to walk across. The combination of a much deeper river, floating barrels strung together on a cable to block boats, and razor wire on shore could have a major impact on how many people could cross it, even without a new wall. Since none of these things are expensive, Trump could probably find the money within existing budgets. It might not be as dramatic as a shiny new 50-foot wall, but it could be effective and would give Trump an early "win" that would also be popular with many Democrats. (V)