On December 22, 2018, Donald Trump partially shut down the federal government when politicians hit an impasse after Trump requested $5 billion in funding for a U.S.-Mexico wall. The government has officially been shut down for 32 days. 10 days longer than the previous longest government shutdown in 1995 under Bill Clinton’s presidency.

According to The Center of Migration, about 5.4 million undocumented Mexican immigrants living in the United States. From 2000-2007, the economy was relatively booming ;during those years about 470,000 immigrants were crossing the border illegally. After the crash in 2008, only 70,000 from 2010-2015 were illegally crossing the U.S-Mexican border per year.

The argument against Trump’s proposal is not that we don’t need better border security, it’s that the wall is asking for too much money and is more of a political statement than an actual resource to make it difficult to cross the border.

Building a wall comes with difficulties and ethical questions. Between Mexico and Arizona lays the Tohono O’odham tribe. A wall would separate the tribe and families.

Rural areas do attract more immigrants and smugglers than most with higher border security and population. Even with a wall, without man security they are easy to get around and avoid. Building a wall is an unnecessary use of government money and could be used for other forces of border security.

Shutting down the government was an act of immaturity and carelessness for the American people. 800,000 government workers are without pay and most are unable to support themselves and their families without their paychecks.

Federal workers who are deemed “essential” are forced to continue working without pay while the rest are furloughed or on temporary leave.