Presidential Solutions – Then and Now

Whenever you visit the border anywhere from San Diego to El Paso, the border fence or wall is located exactly at the border line and is backed up by a wide and well maintained laser straight road. This road is called the Roosevelt Reservation after an executive action taken by Pres. Teddy Roosevelt in 1907 to combat smuggling in which he simply declared that the first 60 feet of America along the border belonged to the federal government. No act of Congress, no compensation, just his declaration. Maybe nobody noticed or even cared in 1907 what happened to a 60 foot strip across the desert.

Though the intention was to prevent smuggling by preventing any buildings being constructed right up to the border then, as now, it made absolutely no difference to the smuggling of booze or other contraband.

Fast forward a century and we now have vehicle fences, pedestrian fences, or walls topped with razor wire right along the border with Border Patrol posted inside to prevent smuggling or illegal entry. Now, as then, it’s not preventing migration or smuggling.

There is a demand from American companies and farms for physical labour and a demand from American consumers for illicit drugs. As long as those demands exist, smart people will find ways to profit from them.  

Neither a wall nor a wide road are going to stop them.

Photos from the border between Calexico and Jucumba Springs in Southern California.  Border fence from Border Monument 225 to where the road just dead-ended into the mountains – Evan being apprehended with border surveillance station behind him – vehicle fence made from welded Victorian era rails stamped 1903 – Wall made from Vietnam era landing pads with newly added razor wire and Border Patrol agents in their vehicles under an awning every mile or so.