With the recent governmental events in the United States, the big topic across the nation is border patrol. A big concern of President Trump is border security with Mexico.

The United States shares a total of 1,954 miles with Mexico at the border and 18 miles of maritime boundary.

This year has a budgeted amount of $23.1 billion set for border security, about 22% higher than in 2017, which includes hiring new Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers.

This budget also covers border infrastructure, security technology and equipment, and criminal investigation and prosecution of criminal illegal aliens.

According to the White House website, there is an $18 billion request for a border wall, saying: “Building the wall is critical to impeding traffickers and illegal aliens and denying them entrance into the country.” The website goes on to explain that the administration is committed to securing our country by supplying border patrol and law enforcement personal with the equipment and resources necessary to do this.

The new equipment is being sent alongside active-duty military towards the border as another part of President Trump’s plan for border security. Armored vehicles, M4 combat attachments, high powered rifles, and other gear are giving the law enforcement along the border a new look.

In an interview with Washington Post, Jason Fritz, a former Army Officer stated, “If you put a bunch of gee-whiz stuff on an M4, you go from being a regular cop into a special operator.” This increase is also quoted to be for psychological effects on those who would be trying to come into the country illegally.  

This increase in budgeting comes from Trump’s campaign promise to “build a wall and make Mexico pay for it.” While the plan to build a wall is in effect, the funding is coming from American tax dollars.

The President’s campaign promise is to ensure that America is a safer place, free of alien immigrants from the southern border of the United States who bring crime and drugs into the country with them. Throughout 2019, the increase in border security is expected to continue due to the large budget available for use.

Controversy across the nation spiked as Trump began to finally act on his campaign promise of building a border wall. 16 states filed lawsuits against Trump for unconstitutionally using his executive power to declare a state of emergency after signing the budget for border security. President Trump was granted a total of $18 billion but declared a state of emergency to bypass congress and to pull funds from other departments to fund his border wall.

With the rising tensions across the nation and lawsuits against the president, the media has been covering each and every step along the way. The general public awaits the results of these lawsuits and are eager to see whether or not this border wall will be finished or if the increased security will impact the amount of sex trafficking and drugs coming into the United States.