Rather than focusing so many resources on the border itself, DHS should alleviate the pressure on the borders that comes as a result of failed immigration policies. The incredibly slow systems for family reunification and employee visas due to a shortage of visas compared to the demands for family unity and workers have incentivized undocumented immgiration. DHS should allocate more resources to the processing of visas and make family unity and employment visas more attainable by increasing the numbers available. Only then will pressure on our borders decrease, allowing the border patrol to focus on human traffickers, smugglers, and others who wish to do harm. Immigration reform - specifically increased visas for family and employees - is the key to alleviating the pressure on the borders and getting a handle on undocumented immigration.

Too often border security is viewed in a vaccuum - but it is intrinsically intertwined with immigration reform and the flaws of our legal immgiration system. Border security should be viewed comprehensively -  not just thinking about barriers - but how to reduce the pressure on the border, thus allowing the border patrol to do their job rather than being swamped with immigrants who could and should otherwise come through legal chanels if they were accessible and timely.