Letter: Border talk? That’s just hot air

Mark Bond

Human-rights groups are asking the federal courts to order Customs and Border Protection to improve what they describe as “unconstitutional and unconscionable conditions” under which undocumented immigrants are held for processing at Border Patrol stations and facilities in the Tucson Sector.

Border security is not a government issue; it is a campaign issue.

A candidate for office, especially one who calls himself “conservative,” will take a page from the Doug Ducey playbook and campaign with slogans including “no amnesty” and “build the dang fence.” He will promise to hold the feds accountable for their failures.

Then, upon election, the realities of limited budgets and manpower plus an issue that is more complex than slogans can handle will set in and the once-candidate-now-office holder will deal with tasks easier to achieve.

The voters will be distracted by reality TV and pointless arguments about debate moderators and offensive terms (“anchor babies”). And nothing will change. As the next election approaches, the cycle will repeat.

— Mark G. Pond, Mesa