One of the most divisive topics in the United States presently is the issue of border security, and in particular the wall President Donald Trump and Republicans promised they would build during the 2016 election.

Republican U.S. Senator Charles Grassley has been a vocal supporter of both the wall and increased border security measures. He emphasizes that if the border isn’t protected better, it could dissolve completely into an open border and take away the country’s independent identity. “We’re a county based on the rule of law, so we have to have the respect for law. And so border security is part of that. It’s not only part of it because it’s very central to immigration, but it’s also central to what you call sovereignty. How can you be a sovereign nation if you don’t control your borders?”

To that effect, Grassley says the wall is just one part of securing the border, with other aspects including: a larger border patrol force; electronic surveillance at key entry points; doing away with the “catch and release” policy; and closely monitoring visitors and those on work visas. Opposition to the Republican plan for border security has pointed out the high cost of building the wall, estimated to be nearly $22 billion, particularly in the face of crumbling domestic infrastructure. Opponents also continually press the wall supporters on the campaign claim that it was to be paid for by Mexico, to which there haven’t been any concrete answers.

However, Grassley addresses the issue of cost by claiming that by spending the money on border security it would save the nation billions of dollars in government funds given to undocumented immigrants and asylum seakers each year. As it stands now, there is a stalemate in Congress that doesn’t appear to be relenting any time soon, so the border security issue will continue to linger indefinitely. To hear more from Grassley, listen to tomorrow’s Perry Fareway Let’s Talk Dallas County program on air and at RaccoonValleyRadio.com.