In Trump’s 2016 presidential election campaign, he claimed that he would build a #wall between the U.S. and Mexico to avoid #illegalimmigrants from entering the country. He also claimed that the people of Mexico would pay for the construction of the wall. During his presidency, Donald Trump did not back away from his plan to build a wall as he promoted a xenophobic immigration policy.

Did Mexico pay for building a wall? No, that was one of many lies during Trump's presidency. Instead, he dipped into billions of funds from the Pentagon and other taxpayer sources meant for much needed military supplies to build just part of the wall. The former president was always long on promises, and short on details and truth.

If the wall is finished, lifetime maintenance of the wall is expected to cost roughly $50 billion. Besides the fact that immigrants can dig under it, use tunnel systems, or climb the fence using ladders and wire-cutters, most illegal immigrants enter the country through boat or fly in and overstay their visas. 

Additionally, former President Trump’s rhetoric regarding the border wall construction, referring to Mexican immigrants as drug dealers, criminals, and rapists has fueled #xenophobia and #racism against people who want to make a better life for themselves and their families, which America has always thrived on encouraging. Hatred and hate crimes against Black people, Latinx, Asians, Jewish people and the LGBTQ+ community increased 20 percent during the Trump presidency, largely due to the administration rhetoric and legal steps such as the border wall. This is not exactly the welcoming “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses...” poetry emblazoned on the Statue of Liberty.

There are more effective and sensible ways to help address illegal immigration instead of spending massive amount of tax funding on an #ineffective wall. President Biden should hold to his campaign promises and not build another foot of the wall.