# How about charging a toll at the border to pay for a fence? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 5, 2019, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-charging-a-toll-at-the-border-to-pay-for-a-fence/827262 "2019-01-05T20:35:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Ancient\_Erudite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Ancient\_Erudite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ancient_Erudite)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2019, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-charging-a-toll-at-the-border-to-pay-for-a-fence/827262/41 "2019-01-06T22:35:03Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Which would raise all of 14 million, not 5 billion. Did you see the chart? Suppose we charge $100 a unit for person, car, bus, rail, truck, etc… With over 20 million crossing from Mexico a year, if you were to charge them a $100 that is 2 billion dollars. Over the course of three years, there is your 6 billion dollars Coach. So the wall could be built, and Mexico would pay for it. ---
**Author:** ![Ramira](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ramira/32/344_2.png) [@Ramira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ramira)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2019, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-charging-a-toll-at-the-border-to-pay-for-a-fence/827262/42 "2019-01-06T22:42:08Z")
A funny analysis that is. No elasticity in the demand, and everything moving is the mexican… It is the analysis from an ado. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2019, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-charging-a-toll-at-the-border-to-pay-for-a-fence/827262/43 "2019-01-06T22:48:50Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Wouldn’t that solve the current problem? What is the current problem? If we’re talking about people being in the US without valid immigration status, 2/3 of them entered legally through ports of entry. They would have never even seen a border fence/wall/barrier/semi-translucent system of artistic breathable slats. It seems premature to talk about how we pay for a barrier somewhere other than where the problem exists. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2019, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-charging-a-toll-at-the-border-to-pay-for-a-fence/827262/44 "2019-01-06T22:49:35Z")
> [@Ancient\_Erudite](#): > > Did you see the chart? > > Suppose we charge $100 a unit for person, car, bus, rail, truck, etc… > > With over 20 million crossing from Mexico a year, if you were to charge them a $100 that is 2 billion dollars. Over the course of three years, there is your 6 billion dollars Coach. > > So the wall could be built, and Mexico would pay for it. Why stop there? What if we charge $1000 per person, then we’d get 20 billion in one year. Hell, we could charge $100,000 per person, and we get 2 trillion a year, nearly half the federal budget. You’ve stumbled onto something here. Just like Disneyland, we can make our country function on entry ticket prices. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2019, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-charging-a-toll-at-the-border-to-pay-for-a-fence/827262/45 "2019-01-06T22:57:51Z")
> [@Ancient\_Erudite](#): > > Did you see the chart? > > Suppose we charge $100 a unit for person, car, bus, rail, truck, etc… > > With over 20 million crossing from Mexico a year, if you were to charge them a $100 that is 2 billion dollars. Over the course of three years, there is your 6 billion dollars Coach. > > So the wall could be built, and Mexico would pay for it. But I thought this proposal was to pay to maintain and fix whatever fencing already exists, not build a wall? 1. Could a toll to cross the border be used for this purpose? 2. Could Trump then take the money to pay for the wall? If so, then the proposal is for chumps. If not, then the stalemate is still on, because it won’t give Trump his wall. As a solution to the current stalemate, this plan fails. edited to add: When did this turn into a toll for Mexicans only? Kindly leave the goalposts where they are. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2019, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-charging-a-toll-at-the-border-to-pay-for-a-fence/827262/46 "2019-01-06T23:03:31Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > But I thought this proposal was to pay to maintain and fix whatever fencing already exists, not build a wall? > > 1. Could a toll to cross the border be used for this purpose? > 2. Could Trump then take the money to pay for the wall? If so, then the proposal is for chumps. If not, then the stalemate is still on, because it won’t give Trump his wall. > > As a solution to the current stalemate, this plan fails. > edited to add: When did this turn into a toll for Mexicans only? > **Kindly leave the goalposts where they are**. There’s too many furrows criss-crossing the field. Does anyone remember where they started from? ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2019, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-charging-a-toll-at-the-border-to-pay-for-a-fence/827262/47 "2019-01-06T23:06:04Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > As a solution to the current stalemate, this plan fails. Indeed. The current stalemate is not about maintaining (or even improving) boarder security. Congress has (or would be willing to) fund those goals. The current stalemate is about a stupid wall, based on a stupid campaign promise. That’s not going to be funded. (I hope) ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2019, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-charging-a-toll-at-the-border-to-pay-for-a-fence/827262/48 "2019-01-06T23:49:32Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Yes, I’m focused on repairing the existing fence and augmenting new fencing where border control says it’s actually needed. If you’re not going to build the wall Trump promised, I have a much better use for the money your tolls raise: … wait for it … nearly there … - finance the War on Drugs! Two marvellously ‘successful’ schemes combined. :smack:😕:eek: ---
**Author:** ![Ancient\_Erudite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Ancient\_Erudite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ancient_Erudite)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-charging-a-toll-at-the-border-to-pay-for-a-fence/827262/49 "2019-01-07T01:39:28Z")
Suppose we charge $100 a unit for person, car, bus, rail, truck, etc… With over 20 million crossing from Mexico a year, if you were to charge them a $100 that is 2 billion dollars. Over the course of three years, there is your 6 billion dollars Coach. So the wall could be built, and Mexico would pay for it. - Ancient Erudite > [@k9bfriender](#): > > Why stop there? > > What if we charge $1000 per person, then we’d get 20 billion in one year. > > Hell, we could charge $100,000 per person, and we get 2 trillion a year, nearly half the federal budget. > > You’ve stumbled onto something here. Just like Disneyland, we can make our country function on entry ticket prices. What I said is a solution, far from fantasy. $100 isn’t too much. People would pay for it. I guess you’re agreeing with me and using humor to take it the extreme. I just hate to see USA citizens caught in a pissing match between political parties. The above solution puts an end to it. I suspect Trump will build his border security wall, one way or another. Would you rather do it via tariffs? The irony is Trump could do it the way the OP said and be correct. Heck he could hire Mexican workers to help to cut the costs 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ancient\_Erudite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Ancient\_Erudite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ancient_Erudite)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-charging-a-toll-at-the-border-to-pay-for-a-fence/827262/50 "2019-01-07T01:47:34Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > But I thought this proposal was to pay to maintain and fix whatever fencing already exists, not build a wall? > > 1. Could a toll to cross the border be used for this purpose? > 2. Could Trump then take the money to pay for the wall? If so, then the proposal is for chumps. If not, then the stalemate is still on, because it won’t give Trump his wall. > > As a solution to the current stalemate, this plan fails. > edited to add: When did this turn into a toll for Mexicans only? > Kindly leave the goalposts where they are. The need is for a wall in certain places, and to replace out dated fences. Its not for a full boarder wall, that isn’t needed due to natural barriers. What Trump is saying the illegal imigraiton causes crime, export hardcore drugs that destroy lives, and engage in human traffic. He is correct. There is no need to debate it. The victims in the USA likely number over 100,000 a year from the above. Since the problem stems from Latin America and the USA / Mexican border let their population pay for the wall. It would only be a toll for 2-3 years, then go back to normal. If there is a solution where it costs the USA very little or nothing, then why not do it? That is the question. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-charging-a-toll-at-the-border-to-pay-for-a-fence/827262/51 "2019-01-07T02:02:21Z")
> [@Ancient\_Erudite](#): > > What Trump is saying the illegal imigraiton causes crime, export hardcore drugs that destroy lives, and engage in human traffic. He is correct. There is no need to debate it. The victims in the USA likely number over 100,000 a year from the above. Got a cite for the 100,000 figure? ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-charging-a-toll-at-the-border-to-pay-for-a-fence/827262/52 "2019-01-07T02:11:03Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Got a cite for the 100,000 figure? Or for fucking _anything_?? ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-charging-a-toll-at-the-border-to-pay-for-a-fence/827262/53 "2019-01-07T02:27:56Z")
The drug crisis is not caused by what people are able to carry in their pockets through the desert. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-charging-a-toll-at-the-border-to-pay-for-a-fence/827262/54 "2019-01-07T03:00:40Z")
> [@Ancient\_Erudite](#): > > … > I just hate to see USA citizens caught in a pissing match … Personal question. No problem if you don’t want to share. Where you from, Buddy? ---
**Author:** ![Ancient\_Erudite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Ancient\_Erudite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ancient_Erudite)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-charging-a-toll-at-the-border-to-pay-for-a-fence/827262/55 "2019-01-07T13:15:28Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Got a cite for the 100,000 figure? Bob how many people here in the USA have drug problems because of Mexico? You tell me. I’d imagine well over 100,000. The FBI data is needed, but I found data on one state Texas. California likely has more arrests. higher This is problem in many states. But you wanted a number. I grossly underestimated it. According to DHS status indicators, over **276,000 criminal aliens** have been booked into local Texas jails between June 1, 2011 and December 31, 2018, of which over 186,000 were classified as illegal aliens by DHS. Keep in mind many crimes do not have arrests so the amount of the victims is much higher. Over the course of their entire Texas criminal careers, these 186,000 illegal aliens were charged with more than 461,000 criminal offenses which included arrests for 1,017 homicide charges; 52,128 assault charges; 14,826 burglary charges; 59,513 drug charges; 690 kidnapping charges; 28,671 theft charges; 40,873 obstructing police charges; 3,484 robbery charges; 5,560 sexual assault charges; 3,393 sexual offense charges; and 6,692 weapon charges. DPS criminal history records reflect those criminal charges have thus far resulted in over 213,000 convictions including 465 homicide convictions; 22,606 assault convictions; 7,683 burglary convictions; 30,906 drug convictions; 282 kidnapping convictions; 13,552 theft convictions; 20,629 obstructing police convictions; 1,929 robbery convictions; 2,935 sexual assault convictions; 1,829 sexual offense convictions; and 2,999 weapon convictions. [https://www.dps.texas.gov/administration/crime\_records/pages/txcriminalalienstatistics.htm](https://www.dps.texas.gov/administration/crime_records/pages/txcriminalalienstatistics.htm) Now, don’t you think better boarder security is needed to protect the USA victims? Just imagine if Michael Moore pointed his games on the victims and made a movie out of it. Eyes would fall out of the sockets. ---
**Author:** ![Ancient\_Erudite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Ancient\_Erudite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ancient_Erudite)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-charging-a-toll-at-the-border-to-pay-for-a-fence/827262/56 "2019-01-07T13:22:26Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > Personal question. No problem if you don’t want to share. Where you from, Buddy? If I told you I was born into one the bluest cities and raised into one of the bluest states in the USA, would that matter? Well, it’s true. ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-charging-a-toll-at-the-border-to-pay-for-a-fence/827262/57 "2019-01-07T13:52:47Z")
> [@Ancient\_Erudite](#): > > If I told you I was born into one the bluest cities and raised into one of the bluest states in the USA, would that matter? Well, it’s true. That must be why they didn’t teach you how to spell “border”… sneaky bastards. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-charging-a-toll-at-the-border-to-pay-for-a-fence/827262/58 "2019-01-07T14:58:48Z")
> [@Ancient\_Erudite](#): > > If I told you I was born into one the bluest cities and raised into one of the bluest states in the USA, would that matter? Well, it’s true. Ah, I am like you, USA citizen! Yankee Doodle born on 4th of July. As American as the apple pirozhki! ---
**Author:** ![Ramira](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ramira/32/344_2.png) [@Ramira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ramira)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-charging-a-toll-at-the-border-to-pay-for-a-fence/827262/59 "2019-01-07T15:02:50Z")
> [@Ancient\_Erudite](#): > > Bob how many people here in the USA have drug problems because of Mexico? Zero. No nation state is making an individual person in another nation state have a drug problem. that is the kind of argument seen from the junior school essays. > [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Ah, I am like you, USA citizen! Yankee Doodle born on 4th of July. As American as the apple pirozhki! :^() ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-charging-a-toll-at-the-border-to-pay-for-a-fence/827262/60 "2019-01-07T15:22:04Z")
> [@Ancient\_Erudite](#): > > Bob how many people here in the USA have drug problems because of Mexico? > > You tell me. I’d imagine well over 100,000… So your “cite” is your imagination. Right. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-charging-a-toll-at-the-border-to-pay-for-a-fence/827262.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-charging-a-toll-at-the-border-to-pay-for-a-fence/827262.md?page=4)