The United States–Mexico barrier is actually several separation barriers designed to prevent illegal immigration into the United States from the territory of adjacent Mexico along the U.S.-Mexico border. Primarily the fence has deterred illegal entries of Mexican nationals and other Latin Americans illegally entering the United States through Mexico, although in recent years other groups (particularly Asians of different nationalities) have also been using the porous Mexican border to secure access to the USA (the Border Patrol refers to those from other countries as "Other Than Mexican"). The barriers were built as part of three larger "Operations" to control illegal immigration, Operation Gatekeeper in California, Operation Hold-the-Line in Texas, and Operation Safeguard in Arizona. The intention of these barriers is to force illegal immigrants to cross the border through more difficult lands, with the assumption that this will deter illegal immigration. Some United States/Mexico border scholars have claimed that these operations are just a public relations ploy used to convince U.S. citizens that the border is "secure", while the economy benefits from the continuing flow of cheap labor across the border.

The 1,951 mile (3,140 km) border between the United States and Mexico traverses a variety of terrains, including urban areas and deserts. The barrier is located in the urban sections of the border, the areas that have been the location of the greatest number of illegal crossings in the past. These urban areas include San Diego, California and El Paso, Texas. As a result of the success of the barrier, there has been a marked increase in the number of people trying to illegally cross the Sonoran Desert and crossing over the Baboquivari Mountain in Arizona. Such illegal immigrants must cross 50 miles (80 km) of inhospitable terrain to reach the first road, which is located in the Tohono O'odham Indian Reservation. Between October 1, 2003, and April 30, 2004, 660,390 people were detained by the United States Border Patrol as they tried to cross the border illegally. Between 43 and 61 people died trying to cross the Sonoran Desert during that same time period; three times that of the same period the previous year. In October 2004 the Border Patrol announced that 325 people had died crossing the entire border during the previous 12 months. Between 1998 and 2004, 1,954 persons are officially reported to have died along the US-Mexico border.

Possible expansion

U.S. Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-CA), chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, proposed a plan to the Senate on Thursday, November 3, 2005 calling for the construction of a reinforced fence along the entire United States – Mexican border. This would also include a 100 yard border zone on the U.S. side. On December 15th, 2005, Congressman Hunter's amendment to H.R. 4437 passed in the U.S. of Representatives. This plan calls for mandatory fencing along 698 miles (1,123 km) of the Mexican border. On May 17,2006 the U.S. Senate approved with S. 2611 what could be 370 miles of triple layered-fencing and a vehicle fence. The government of Mexico, as well as intellectuals of that country and ministers of several Latin American countries have condemned the plans. Rick Perry, governor of Texas, also expressed his opposition saying that instead of closing the border it should be opened more and through technology support legal and safe migration.

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