Letter: New spending on immigration enforcement is an opportunity cost
“The Migration Policy Institute reported in 2013 that the federal government spends more each year on immigration enforcement — through Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Border Patrol — than on all other federal law enforcement agencies combined. The total has risen to more than $19 billion a year, and more than $306 billion in all since 1986, measured in 2016 dollars. This exceeds the sum of all spending for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Secret Service, the Marshals Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.” — the New York Times.
Spending per year for operations is projected to rise significantly in the new administration, and to this will be added a 2,000-mile wall initially costing several tens of billions of dollars.
These choices are opportunity costs, deferring action on infrastructure of falling bridges, transportation and power distribution. Such choices reflect the mindset of different “leaders.” To put it most starkly, consider this contrast:
Reagan: “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”
Trump: “We are going to build a WALL!”
John F. Williford, Richland
This story was originally published March 9, 2017 at 4:30 AM with the headline "Letter: New spending on immigration enforcement is an opportunity cost."