Isn't that an equivocation/conflation of differently bad things? Shouldn't border control optimize risk management based primarily on wise human intelligence on-the-ground supported by reliable or at least reliability-qualified data that doesn't hassle people any more than is absolutely necessary? For example, in the US (not the EU), the number of secret databases and watch lists that feed into current border control decision-making is absolutely frightening (per whistleblower revelations).
One is deterministic and you can easily avoid a 7 hour travel if you know that a country rejects people from your country while the other not so much.
The US has visa interviews for that kind of thing. That's part of why I do not intend to travel to the US. Too much of a hassle.
Adding to the GP, in the context of the USA, US Border control officers can still deny the entry of a visa holder traveler based on whatever.
Also, members of visa waiver program can also be denied entry. That’s just like any one country.