Amid a surge in border crossings, former President Donald Trump has made a provocative proposal that’s sure to ignite controversy.
In a recent post on Truth Social, Trump suggested an unconventional method to deter migrants from crossing the southern border of the United States. Alongside a photo of menacing alligators on a riverbank, he wrote, “New Border Security,” “Will work for food,” and “Problem fixed!!”
Border crossings have been surging to historically high levels, inching closer to the record numbers seen in May, as reported by Fox News. Although the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) hasn’t released the August figures yet, it’s estimated that they will reach 230,000, potentially breaking records in September.
The Border Patrol reported an astonishing incident where over 2,200 people crossed the border illegally in a single night in Eagle Pass, Texas, marking the largest mass illegal crossing ever witnessed by the Patrol.
Trump’s unconventional suggestion comes at a time when border situations appear increasingly dire. Just hours before his Truth Social post, Fox News described the situation in Eagle Pass as “very out of control,” with a massive influx of illegal border crossers reported. Thousands, mostly Venezuelans, had gathered under the Eagle Pass bridge, a stark contrast to the 15,000 or more Haitians who congregated under the Del Rio bridge on the same day in 2016.
It’s worth noting that during his tenure, Trump was unable to fulfill his signature promise to construct a border wall.
Trump’s idea of using alligators as part of border security is not entirely new, as per reports by The New York Times. At one point, he even proposed reinforcing the border wall with a water-filled trench, potentially housing snakes or alligators. This idea was mentioned in the 2019 book “Border Wars: Inside Trump’s Assault on Immigration.”
In Trump’s vision, the border wall would be electrified and topped with sharp spikes designed to deter illegal crossings. The underlying principle was clear: if a wall alone isn’t enough of a deterrent, additional measures would be considered.
