Hmmm, now this is an interesting plan

BROWNSVILLE, Texas (Reuters) – Texan mayors opposed to a planned border fence with Mexico want to widen and deepen the Rio Grande river instead, and say it will be more effective in keeping out illegal immigrants.

The U.S. government aims to build 700 miles of new fencing along the frontier with Mexico to boost security and try to stem the tide of immigration from the south.

But the Texas stretch of the fence, which would be built on the Rio Grande’s desert flood plain, would cut off some ranchers’ access to the river, the main source of fresh water in the arid region. Mayors say it would also damage trade and centuries-old ties with Mexico.

They do have a point. Besides being ugly, it would do as they say. But, would widening it really solve the problem? Doubtful. It is 90 miles of shark infested and often rough water between Cuba and Florida, and Cubans still try, and make it. Lots do not, of course. Widening the Rio Grande would not be an impediment. Too bad the fence cannot be built in the middle of the river.

But, is there an agenda?

Six mayors in mainly Hispanic south Texas on the Mexico border call the fence a wall of shame and have vowed to take the federal government to court to block its construction.

Could be an agenda. But, we’ll take them at their word till proven otherwise.

“A widened river would be a bigger deterrent to illegal immigration and the project doesn’t send the wrong message to Mexico that the wall does,” said Brownsville’s mayor, Pat Ahumada.

What about the message that Mexico send, chiefly, that they want their indigenous population to get the hell out of Mexico and come to the U.S. illegally? The Mexican government even provides manuals on how to do this. “Messages” are a two way street.

The Reuters article mentions that Mexico is for the widening project. Of course they are: it would do little to stop people from coming across it. Those who come across are called “wetbacks” because they would sit in old tires and paddle across, wetting the back of their shirt. So what would a widening actually do? When I was young, I would swim across a lake that was a mile wide up in the Adirondacks. I would swim across the Manasquan River, which is pretty wide. Living in NJ, I would take the surfboard, jump in the Inlet, and swim around the jetty, because the waves were too big to paddle through. Then catch some big swells. So, what would widening the Rio really do?