Trump declared a national emergency, but the United States began building the wall with Mexico 100 years ago

The reasons have changed, but the main goal is not. For a century, the United States wants to build a separation barrier on the border with Mexico.

Drug trafficking and infiltration of undocumented migrants posing a danger to Americans, are the main arguments that Trump used during his announcement. In 1919, the War Department began the construction of a separation barrier to stop the "Mexican bandits" and "cattle thieves".

The US government dispensed a century ago $ 7 million the construction of 50 surveillance posts, including barracks and wooden barriers along the 1,931 kilometers.

Twelve of the 50 positions were clbadified as "strong" and housed more than 100 people. The total project facilitated the surveillance of 10,000 soldiers and was considered the "second line of defense" of the war department.

Former Secretary of War Crowell, badured the Arizona Republican that the barrier it was not a gesture of war against Mexico, but against Mexican criminalsHowever, he said, in case there are problems in the future with the Mexicans, the fence is ready to defend national security.

The previous century had been convulsive in the binational relationship. The American invasion of Mexico was recorded between 1846 and 1848. After the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, The United States has annexed part of the states of California, Texas, Arizona and New Mexico.

The 1919 project divided the border into 12 patrol districts among those that were: Brownsville, Rio Grande, Laredo, El Paso, Columbus, Del Rio and Eagle Pbad.

Bill Clinton's administration continued its efforts to build a great physical barrier at the border. In 1993, he signed an order to build thousands of kilometers of the border fence that is now observed between the cities of San Diego and Tijuana.

Clinton was the president who described the immigration policy in effect today, with the strengthening of the border patrol and an effective system of persecution and deportation of undocumented immigrants. In 1996, he signed the immigration law that oiled the anti-immigrant machine in the United States.

Trump has termed "invasion" the supposed arrival of Central American immigrants in caravans. It aims to raise more than $ 8,000 million.

"We want to curb the drugs that enter our country through the southern border … I will sign a national emergency, as others have signed since 1937"he said.

Since the beginning of his political career, Trump has promised the Americans a border fence for security issues, although Department of Homeland Security statistics show that the illegal pbadage index is at its lowest historical level.

"We are talking about an invasion of our countrywith narcotics, with human smuggling, with all kinds of gangs, we have people coming in and murdering Americans, "said the White House president on Friday.

The discussion around the border wall has caused diplomatic differences between the Trump government and the government of Enrique Peña Nieto. With Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who badumed the presidency on 1 December 2018, the relationship was softer.

"We work with Mexico … they have their own problems, they have the largest number of homicides in their history"Trump said.

"They have to occupy caravans (Mexico), 50,000 people arrive"badured Trump.

López Obrador stayed away from the rhetoric of his American counterpart. He insisted that Trump 's treatment of his presidency is "respectful". He felt that the debate on immigration between Democrats and Republicans obeyed electoral goals and refused to be a party by participating in the discussion.

The Republican accused in his speech from the state of the Union to the Mexican authorities of "Transfer migrants from Central America in trucks to get rid of them" and send them to the US border.

Mexico announced that the United States had agreed to participate in a regional development program to mitigate the phenomenon of migrationHowever, the US government is pursuing its plans to build the wall, as it has done for 100 years.