The border fence

Is a fence along the U.S. border the best way to slow down illegal aliens? By some estimates it could cost $49 billion to secure the 1952 mile southern border. The life expectancy of this border fence is 25 years. Perhaps this immigration strategy could include another 4000 miles of fence to our north. How many border guards will be required and at what cost? Another $50 billion? Why not spend some of these billions on a more humane approach by building job sites along the border instead of fences? Create opportunities for employment in Mexico that encourages Mexicans to live at home with friends and family. Also eliminate opportunities for drug cartels and thugs by legalizing drugs. The U.S. will spend $24 billion in 2011 on this insane drug war started under the Nixon administration. Prohibition of alcohol should have taught us that the profit incentives create unanticipated consequences such as corruption of police and community leaders, gang warfare (like the cartels along the Mexican borders), death from unregulated product, and wholesale disregard for the law. Together these two proposals: an enterprise zone along the border and drug legalization will go a long way to make a border fence unnecessary while employing and keeping our southern neighbors safer.