A wall would encourage legal immigration

The southern border wall between the United States and Mexico is needed to protect U.S. citizens in the future. Many have valid reasons for wanting to come to the USA, but we can’t continue to have everybody in the world come in illegally — not following the proper channels.

The analogy I give is of the man on the corner selling drugs because he has five small children and needs rent money, food etc. He is arrested by a police of- ficer who listens to the man’s story. The officer has empathy for his dilemma, but explains that what he is doing is illegal and that it cannot be tolerated.

The same situation applies to people coming into the United States. The reason for them wanting to come might be for good reason, but it must be done legally, through the proper channels available, regardless of the reason these migrants might have to come here in the first place. Robert Pallone Annapolis, Md.

It’s amazing. We have thousands of people shot and killed every year by fellow Americans, and here we have a bunch of people losing their minds over an imaginary crisis and a president wanting to declare a fake national emergency to please his rabid base. Tom Ochsner

President Donald Trump is manufacturing a national emergency using lies to scam taxpayers. A wall built using taxpayer dollars is nothing but a huge boondoggle meant only to please the ex- treme right-wing conservatives who hold Trump’s ear in everything. Nobby Grimsby

Democrats have voted for border security in the past. They’re just opposed to Trump and his wall. Once again, Democrats prioritize liberal politics over the safety of American citizens. Mira Dean