https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secure_Fence_Act_of_2006
Secure Fence Act of 2006 - Wikipedia
The Secure Fence Act of 2006 (Pub.L.109–367), also labelled H.R. 6061, is an Act of the United States Congress which authorized and partially funded the construction of 700 miles (1,125km) of physical fence/barriers along the Mexican border. It was signed into law on October 26, 2006, by U.S. President George W. Bush, stating "This bill will help protect the American people. This bill will make our borders more secure. It is an important step...
https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/immigration-reform/trump-s-new-jersey-golf-club-employs-undocumented-immigrants-women-n945056
Trump's New Jersey golf club employs undocumented immigrants, women say
"I told them that I don't have papers, I don't speak English and that I was an immigrant. They said, 'No, it doesn't matter.'"
Several Past Presidents, Including Clinton, both Bush's and Obama have addressed the need to provide much better security at our borders, specifically the Southern border. Money, to the tune of Tens of Billions of dollars in funding has been approved by Congress (including current members of Congress that now oppose the same added security) more than once over the past several decades. Where has all that money gone that was previously set aside, since it obviously wasn't used for added security? Even adding several hundred additional Border Patrol Agents and Treasury Agents (who also provide Border Security) would have been better than the pittance that has been done over the past several decades.
Most other countries and locations being referred to that have Security Walls, also have a substantially higher presence of fully armed Border Security Personnel who monitor the borders with orders to shoot, not necessarily detain. And it is often is also monitored on both Sides of the walls. Even if we put up a Security Wall, we still do not have nearly enough Border Agents to effectively Patrol and Monitor the vast areas on just the southern border. Some say adding cameras and sensor devices will work where there are no patrols.....I say you are kidding yourself. Cameras and Sensor Devices will let you know something has either happened or is happening. In most cases, by the time officers arrived on the scene the perpetrators would be long gone and whatever damage was done, would then be once again open for continued traffic until it was repaired (if ever).
To effectively secure our borders would require not only some sort of effective series of Fences or "Walls" as well as a substantial increase in Border Security Personnel to properly patrol them. At least 5 times more than we have now, on the Southern Border Alone, probably More. There are so many areas along the Southern border now that have little or no functional Border patrols active and the Drug and Human traffickers know it and exactly where they are. Increasing the Patrols alone would help, but won't solve the problem. We really need Both to secure our border.
Face it, to the North, on the Canadian Side, the Canadians also provide a certain amount of border security, on their side of the border. This does provide the US some additional security to the North, but we still need to add in additional Border Agents there as well. Canada provides far more security at that border than Mexico does; if they do at all. I know that crossing the border from the San Diego County, Calif. area, there is no checkpoint to enter Mexico, only coming Back into the US, and then only on the US side of the Border. I assume they provide the same level of security all along the remainder of the US/Mexico Border...virtually none.
BTW, in response to the statement about employers who knowingly hire illegals: there are laws in place regarding the hiring of illegals that place a substantial fine on employers who get caught hiring illegals, to include seizing the business and all it's property. Unfortunately, like so many other laws surrounding the illegal controversy they are not enforced. If they would start enforcing those laws.....things would change very quickly...but after decades of "ignoring" the laws, I don't see it happening in our lifetime, if ever.
USA TODAY NETWORK
The USA TODAY NETWORK has produced the most current and comprehensive public map of current fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border by flying and driving the entire 2,000-mile border and then verifying its findings with public records, digital property maps, on-the-ground reporting and satellite imagery.
An interactive digital map, based on this extensive reporting, allows users to pick any spot on the border and cue up aerial video taken from a helicopter at that exact location, as well as see the type of fencing used along the border.
As President Donald Trump pushes forward with his commitment to build a border wall, the map shows huge swaths of the border that are not fenced. About 650 miles of the 2,000 mile border is fenced, leaving 1,350 miles open. Of that 650 miles of fencing, about half is designed to stop only vehicles, not people.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egypt%E2%80%93Israel_barrier
Israel's barrier has conducive terrain, political circumstances, barrier enhancement of technology with guards and short distance for those specific countries at cost roughly $430 million over three years construction. US border has far rougher terrain, more political complexity, 10-fold greater distance and estimated cost of billions.
https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2017/feb/13/ron-johnson/border-fence-israel-cut-illegal-immigration-99-per/
GOP senator says Israel border fence cut illegal immigration
Need an example of a border wall that works? Look to Israel, President Donald Trump has repeatedly said. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., echoed the idea during a Feb. 3 CNN interview, claiming that a border fence in Israel has drastically cut illegal immigration along its southern border.