A mine field on the border would be much more effective than a fence.

Minefield vs a fence. Lets break down how each one would function. The Fence: Let's say its a pretty good fence. Strong metal, razor wire, buried a few feet, maybe electrified in some places. Easily reparable, easily patrolled. Plenty of willing individuals who are afraid of foreigners already patrol joyfully with their guns. When someone climbs, digs or cuts through the fence it is a simple and easy repair. If they even have the time to disable the eletricity or not filet their hands on the razor wire or get spotted by an INS agent. I'm telling you this fence rocks. Heck a little ditch in front of it full of razor wire would work too. No one's stepping in that before they step on a minefield. The Minefield: Ok so somehow this minefield is given the go ahead to be built. It's going to have to be a good minefield obviously. 50 yards at the very least, although upwards of 200 yards would be optimal. How long is the border, close to 1000 miles maybe? That is a really awesome minefield. Biggest best minefield in the world easy. Plant a few million mines and we've got the most effective killing zone besides the business side of an AC 130 Spectre. Let's figure out how to maintain this minefield. If we don't want those horrible foreigners getting into our soil we'll have to make the minefield fairly dense, as dense as you can without causing chain reactions, I'm not sure what that would be. Now this will take some time to construct, quite some time I'm sure. It'll be a shame how many rapists and gangbangers will be able to easily sneak into the Southwest to spread carnage during this construction. But that'll just be for awhile. Then we gots us a beeeg minefield blowin foreigners up. Well then theres the staffing of this giant minefield. The U.S. military would have to constantly replace mines because of the amount set off by people trying to cross (and they would, often)and random wildlife getting in. And we would have to replace them or else it'd be easy to see where to cross. Then of course we would have to stock the minefield (our side of course) with emergency medical resources in case theres an accident with one of our brave troops replacing mines. Plus we'll still need a guarded fence to make sure one of our own citizen's doesn't get confused and wander into the field of death. You know what? I could keep going into detail the intense amount resources and services required to maintain and build this minefield not to mention the incredible high price of disassembling and cleaning it up but it is not nessecary. The unthinkable amounts of money that would go into this is ridiculous. Calling this a more effective solution than a well patrolled, well fortified, easily maintained fence is simply not true. It is not true. You propose using a 1000 mile calamity that would mire the INS into financial woes as well help choke an already ineffectively funded military as opposed to a well guarded, tall dangerous fence guarded by night vision goggles and pickup trucks full of rifles. How could you call something that would cost 20 times as much (if not more)more effective than an option that with proper care would keep just as many if not more out since our own officers wouldn't be afraid to get near it. Are you even taking into account the great number that just smuggle in on covered trucks and tractor trailers? Yeah, they sure do. Your option is not more effective than my fence. It will not keep more people out than my fence. It would be the most ineffective measure the nation could take since the Bay of Pigs. And decent human beings being blown up can be considered a win-win? Man, thats screwy.