Should we make crime safe for criminals?

I watched this video on 60 Minutes about the All-American Canal. Since the double fence between Tijuana and San Diego championed by Duncan Hunter was built, at least 90% of the illegal cross-border activity ceased at that hotspot. Some of it just moved...

Many non-Americans started swimming the All-American Canal, an 80 mile canal diverting Colorado River water for agricultural use in California, to get here illegally. And over 550 people have drowned so far doing so.

People are saying that we need to make this illicit border crossing safe to cross, by stringing buoys and ropes every 150 feet. There's no question that this practice will save lives. But should we do that? Are we doing it for the thousands of other canals in California? Of course not! People know better than to cross those canals, too.

There are hundreds of signs in English and Spanish along the length of the canal, warning that it's dangerous to swim in. Isn't that enough? What if we did string ropes and buoys across the canal every 150 feet? Wouldn't that just make it easier to cross? Isn't that a bad thing? If there are that many people dying, how many are crossing successfully? How many of those are bringing explosives and drugs? How many are going to take American jobs? How many are going to commit crimes like murder, rape and theft? How many are going to have children here? How many are going to go on welfare or take food stamps?

I know how many people have died. I don't know how many are crossing, but it seems likely to me that hundreds of people cross there every day. I know I could swim across, and so could most people. I also know how many people are supposed to be crossing: None, nada, zip, zero. How many people are crossing that don't know they're not supposed to cross? Again, none, nada, zip, zero.

I keep hearing the argument that kids are dying. Nobody wants kids to die. But that is a convenient argument for people who are pro-illegal immigrant to put forth. Let's be reasonable about this. Those kids know they're not supposed to cross, so they must understand they're crossing at their own risk. If there was a legitimate reason to cross, I'm sure a bridge would have been built. There's no safety issue here. Putting buoys across the canal to make it safe to cross would have two effects: It would save lives, and increase the number of people crossing. But the number of people crossing is the issue. The lives lost are inconsequential due to the fact that those people are knowingly breaking the law by sneaking here illegally. And stupidly swimming across a canal that is so obviously unsafe to cross.

I think a double fence should be put up. Razor wire, signs, video cameras, patrols. This would have two effects also: It would save lives and decrease the number of people crossing. From a national security standpoint, it makes more sense. And since lives would be saved, it should make the illegal immigrant advocates and activists happy. Unless they have an ulterior motive. I invite you to speculate about that.

But doing nothing is preferable to putting up buoys. We don't owe these illegals anything. Adding safety features to a canal that's not being crossed by Americans costs money. Money better spent on Americans, or even on visitors who came here honestly.

The argument for buoys on that canal can be compared to arguments for medicinal marijuana. Both of these make it easier for people who want something illegal, to get it.