Immigration

How Trump's Dream Wall Stacks Up To What's Already There

President Trump says he wants to build a steel-slat type wall at the southern border — here's a quick look at what other kinds of barriers are there.

How Trump's Dream Wall Stacks Up To What's Already There
Newsy / Dave Franco
SMS

What becomes clear traversing the US-Mexico border is that the current wall varies quite a bit. That's why it's unclear exactly how President Trump wants to use the more than $5 billion he's requesting to build a new barrier.

Points-of-entry and cities have hardened high-tech barriers using thick wire, sensors, and are regularly patrolled by U.S Customs and Border Protection.  

Rural areas have different types of border wall ranging from simple barb wire fencing to welded railroad ties. Near the Santa Teresa point-of-entry, construction was recently completed on the steel-slat bollard wall. This wall ranges in height from 18-30 feet.  

Current Government Shutdown Is Officially The Longest One Ever
Current Government Shutdown Is Officially The Longest One Ever

Current Government Shutdown Is Officially The Longest One Ever

The partial government shutdown started on Dec. 22 and has now stretched to more than 22 full days.

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The 20-mile stretch was erected at a cost of $73 million dollars. The barrier at this location is the type of wall that Trump has referenced specifically in his tweets.  He has presented this as an alternative to a concrete wall. 

It is also currently unclear if any of the funding would be allocated for ancillary measures  related to the wall like studies on environmental impact. What is clear is that, regardless of the compromises made to end the government shutdown this issue will remain contentious.