Northern exposure: Scott Walker says Canada border wall a 'legitimate' idea

Politics

Northern exposure: Scott Walker says Canada border wall a ‘legitimate’ idea

Searching for his own foothold in the immigration debate, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker looked to the north. Walker, who is seeking the Republican nomination for the White House, said Sunday that building a wall between the United States and Canada was a “legitimate” idea to explore. In an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Walker raised a new issue, saying the idea of a wall on this country’s northern border merits review. He told NBC television that security concerns came up in his talks with people in New Hampshire, which borders Canada, and that he would be open to building a wall to secure the northern border, as well.

Immigration is a hot-button topic in U.S. politics and Donald Trump, the leading Republican contender, has added fuel to the fire by promising to have Mexico pay to build a wall between it and the United States. The brash billionaire caused widespread outrage in June when he accused illegal immigrants from Mexico of importing crime, rape and drugs into the United States. Trump leads the 16 other Republican candidates with 28 percent support among registered voters nationwide, as Walker polls sixth at about 6 percent.