Rory Martinovic
Brian Adams
Political Science 102
Research Paper
November 19, 2003
Border Patrol/Border Security
Border security is both simple and complex issue at the same time. Border security is the job of the Border Patrol, the task of the Border Patrol is to, "To detect and prevent the illegal entry of aliens into the United States. Together with other law enforcement officers, the Border Patrol helps maintain borders that work - facilitating the flow of legal immigration and goods while preventing the illegal trafficking of people and contraband."(Overview). But there are many other issues that effect border security than just the physical aspects of it. Issues such as media coverage, interest groups, political officials and groups, and policy process; all of these issues effect and shape the debt over our border security.
The central debt involving the Border Patrol and security is whether or not security should be reformed to be more relaxed, or strict.
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English: Border Patrol Pipes and Drums Cap Badge
English: Border Patrol Newton/Azrak RibbonThe central basis of the argument is simply whether or not it would be more beneficial to Americans and immigrants to have more lax or strict border policies. There are many factors to consider in making a decision, as is represented in the population of boarder areas themselves. Areas such as southern California have huge Hispanic populations that are usually more sympathetic to the idea of illegal immigration, however they directly feel the negative results of illegal immigration as well, lower wages and poorer living conditions in these areas can create much ambivalence on the subject.
Those who advocate that the current border policies should be reformed to be made more open to immigrants do so because of common beliefs that are imbedded in our society as Americans. They usually make a point similar to this one, "Throughout history, people seeking either freedom or...