Everyone seems to be stuck on the fact that the President said, repeatedly, that Mexico would pay for our border wall.

Granted, he simply said, “they’ll pay,” and never qualified or explained it further.  That makes it seem like he was expecting a check.  I don’t think he’s stupid, but I do believe that he tends to talk about end state when he should be explaining the details.

Here’s the reality:  Illegal immigration costs the United States billions every year in enforcement, care, and yes, benefits paid.  Illegal immigrants, primarily from Mexico, send billions of dollars across the border every year, propping up Mexico’s economy.  Billions of dollars’ worth of drugs flow North, and billions of dollars in cash flow South across the border every year.

A Southern border that is properly enforced would affect all of these, with the overall effect of reducing the amount of money removed from the US and sent to Mexico.

The US keeps more of its money.  Mexico receives less of it.

Mexico pays.

Why does no one articulate this?