By Jasiel Ochoa-Mendoza – Collegiate Staff
Donald Trump continues to make a name for himself by expressing his honest opinions in front of millions of viewers. One of the many statements causing controversy is whether Mexico is going to oblige Trump and build the wall that will separate the two countries for good.
“I would build a great wall, and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me, and I’ll build them very inexpensively,” Trump said in his presidential announcement speech in June 2015. “I will build a great, great wall on our southern border. And I will have Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words.”
Trump describes the U.S.-Mexico immigration wall as a solution for the nation.
“Half of the undocumented residents in America are criminals,” Trump stated
The leading Republican presidential candidate insists that Mexico will fund a wall dividing the country with the U.S. if he becomes President. Trump said in his recent campaign rally in Baton Rouge “So I get a call from one of the reporters yesterday and they said, ‘the President of Mexico said they will not, under any circumstance, pay for the wall.’ Then they said to me, ‘What is your comment?’ I said, ‘the wall just got ten feet higher.’
Trump’s hope for this wall will cost millions of dollars. The U.S. border with Mexico is approximately 2,000 miles long. In 1961, when the Berlin Wall was built, it was only about 96 miles long and cost around $25 million dollars to build. The exact amount that it will cost to build the U.S.-Mexico border wall is yet to be determined.
Appearing on right-wing radio, Republican Presidential Candidate Ted Cruz was questioned on Trump’s immigration ideas. Cruz said he would be willing to build a wall, and would add Trump into his administration to build it.
“Absolutely yes, on both fronts,” Cruz said, in response to the question. “We know how to solve this problem, and we will end sanctuary cities, we will end welfare for people here illegally, we will end catch-and-release, and we will deport criminal illegal aliens,” Cruz said.
In response to Donald Trump’s proposal, former Mexican President Vicente Fox said in an interview with Jorge Ramos, “I’m not going to pay for that f***ing wall.”
Republican Presidential Candidate Marco Rubio said he disagrees with Trump’s proposal.
“His habit of making offensive and outlandish statements will not bring Americans together,” Rubio said.
The U.S-Mexico immigration wall will not only affect the hispanic culture, but the entire country, due to the diversity in the U.S.
“I think Trump isn’t the first, nor will he be the last person, who has the delusional idea to build a wall thousands of miles long just to keep people out,” said Grand Rapids Community College student Ivan Diaz. “It never worked before and it won’t work now, especially if Trump’s only plan to pay for it is to have Mexico front the bill. Mexico will never pay for something like this, and Trump and his followers would be crazy to believe otherwise.”
GRCC student Joshae’ Morales said Trump’s statement is irrational.
“People come to the U.S. for better lives, why keep depriving others of something that should be a right?” Morales said, “If he wants a wall built, he can have it by paying (for) it himself instead of having Mexico do it. It’s wrong.”
