Title: Trump‘s Second Term Challenge: 2,000 Miles of Border Wall Awaits
The newly elected President of the United States, Donald Trump, faces a horticultural challenge as he pledges to secure the entire Mexican border with a wall. According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), only 728 kilometers (140 miles of new wall and 596 miles of replacement/upgrade) were built during Trump’s first term.
In contrast, the current administration of Joe Biden has approved the construction of at least 51.5 kilometers (32 miles) more. Thus, over the past two administrations, 172 kilometers (107 miles) of new wall have been built, adding to the existing 2,443 kilometers (1,518 miles).
With a total border length of 3,144 kilometers (1,954 miles), the Trump administration still has approximately 1,928 kilometers (1,198 miles) of wall to construct. This accounts for 61% of the border that currently lacks any sort of protection.
A breakdown of the unprotected border reveals that most of it lies between Texas and Mexican states such as Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas. Conversely, the western part of the border, particularly between Tijuana and San Diego, is heavily guarded and includes multiple barriers, police presence, lighting, and security cameras.
However, there are still ongoing construction zones, such as those between McAllen and Reynosa or Rio Grande and Ciudad Camargo. Additionally, a small portion of the border in New Mexico remains without any barrier.
Trump has expressed his determination to continue the border wall construction, but laments the high cost, estimating it to be “hundreds of millions” more than the first section built during his previous term. He has hinted at using concrete instead of steel to save money.
Adding to the controversy, the Biden administration announced plans to auction off approximately 30,000 steel posts along the Arizona-Nogales, Tucson, and Three Points border zones for just $5 each. This decision has been criticized by conservatives, including incoming Border Czar Tom Homan and billionaire Elon Musk, who argue that it undermines Trump’s efforts.
