I agree that it would not stop the drug trade... but the wall was never built so calling it "political theatre" is incorrect as well, as it was completely opposed by congress, and faced all kinds of lawsuits that stopped building several times.
"The Wall" as envisioned by the proponents was never completed
Plenty of parts of a wall for photo ops were completed!
The whole thing doesn’t need to exist for political theater, in fact I’d say its lack of actual completion makes it even more a theatrical construction than if it actually was done!
"The Wall" as envisioned by the proponents was never completed