Misdirected Immigration Control: The Views of Texans Who Would Have to Live with a Border Fence

While many Americans don't have to deal with the direct consequences of the logistical nightmares of erecting a border fence to keep undocumented Mexican workers out, many Texans do, and they are not happy about it.

While a border fence is mostly about empty symbolism, wasted tax money, and a slew of logistical problems, the Mexican crime syndicate obviously does not require impoverished illegal immigrants to extend their violent reach into American cities. They have youth gangs with American citizens as members to take care of their business. And all the noise and attention on poor Mexicans who swim across the Rio Grande without a visa to be with their families or to earn more money has got to be a distraction from the more tragic and destructive crimes spawned by the Mexican Mafia for half a decade.