(The final) Border wall update
Bottom Line: As the Trump administration winds down, the president made his first public appearance since the chaos at the Capitol, at the southern border. A campaign which built momentum in 2015 on back of the mantra to build the wall, was contrasted with a Presidency winding down and reflecting on the border wall which had indeed been built. Throughout the course of the Trump administration, I’ve periodically provided an update on the progress of the construction of the border wall. With the realization that construction will end immediately upon the onset of the Biden administration, here’s a final border wall update reflecting what was accomplished during the four years of the Trump administration at our Southwest border.
This is the latest based on data available from Customs and Border Patrol:
- Over 1,000 miles of border wall
- 452 new miles of wall under the Trump administration
- 54% of our Southern border with Mexico containing some form of barrier – up from 34% pre-Trump
It’s notable that most of the progress on a new border wall occurred within the past year, as the administration won a series of legal challenges allowing for the construction of the wall. At the pace which was occurring most recently, had President Trump remained in office for another four years, the entire southern border wall would have been able to be completed. Politics have clouded the border wall from the first speech with which Donald Trump mentioned building it. In this moment, as we reflect on what occurred, it’s important for perspective regarding where this conversation began. With border patrol agents themselves. It’s worth noting that the idea regarding the need for fixing and expanding of the border wall wasn’t Trump’s. It came from those in Border Patrol tasked with protecting our border. For this reason, hopefully the progress that’s been made won’t be undermined by the next administration even if the wall won’t be finished.
Photo Credit: Getty Images