Ted Cruz's plan to secure the border is not fiscally conservative (or smart).

• Position: Infographic - Brief article

Republican presidential hopeful Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) speaks for many conservatives when he says that the country must "finally, finally, finally secure the borders." But Cruz is supposed to be a fiscal conservative as well as a social conservative, and there's no way to pretend that building a fence between the United States and Mexico wiill stop illegal immigration or make financial sense.

SECURING THE BORDER IS SUPER-EXPENSIVE

BUILDING FENCES IS EXPENSIVE

The border between the U.S. and Mexico is about 2,0 miles. Approximately 1,300 mites are unfenced.

A 2009 Congressional Budget Office study estimated the cost at $6.5 million per mile of single-layer pedestria fencing and $1.7 million per mile of vehicle fencing, If th

BORDER AGENTS ARE EXPENSIVE

Ted Cruz has proposed tripling the number of border patrol agents. This would come at a hefty price.

20,000 border patrol agents are already deployed. Cruz's proposal to triple this number would...