Trump ramps up border-wall construction ahead of 2020 vote
The president’s barrier is one of the largest federal infrastructure projects in the nation’s history. Here’s what his administration has built so far and where it plans to build next.
The southern U.S. border has about 650 miles of barriers that take a variety of forms. In more-urban areas, tall “pedestrian” fences are in place to stop people from crossing. In remote areas, the government uses “vehicle barriers” made from old railroad tracks. In mountainous areas and long stretches that follow the Rio Grande, there is no man-made structure.
Fence type:
Pedestrian
Vehicle
No barrier
CA
AZ
N.M.
TX
Tucson
San Diego
El Paso
Laredo
MEXICO
250 mi.
Fence type:
Pedestrian
Vehicle
No barrier
CALIF.
ARIZ.
N.M.
TEXAS
Tucson
San Diego
El Paso
Laredo
MEXICO
250 mi.
Fence type:
Pedestrian
Vehicle
No barrier
CALIF.
ARIZ.
N.M.
TEXAS
El Centro
Tucson
San Diego
El Paso
Yuma
Gulf of
Mexico
Pacific
Ocean
Laredo
McAllen
MEXICO
250 MILES
Fence type:
Pedestrian
Vehicle
No barrier
CALIF.
ARIZ.
N.M.
TEXAS
El Centro
Tucson
El Paso
San Diego
Pacific
Ocean
Gulf of
Mexico
Laredo
McAllen
MEXICO
250 MILES
Fence type:
Pedestrian
Vehicle
No barrier
CALIF.
ARIZ.
N.M.
TEXAS
Tucson
El Centro
El Paso
San Diego
Yuma
Pacific
Ocean
Gulf of
Mexico
Laredo
McAllen
MEXICO
250 MILES
The Washington Post has obtained detailed U.S. government data about Trump’s border-wall project, its construction progress and contracts for each segment of the structure. The data shows the Trump administration is far from delivering on the president’s promise to finish more than 500 miles of new barriers by early next year. Though Trump had insisted Mexico would pay for the project, it has been funded entirely by the U.S. government, at costs that reach nearly $30 million per mile in southern Texas.
[Smugglers are sawing through new sections of Trump’s border wall]
The Trump administration is installing a structure far more formidable than anything previously in place along the border. The new structure has steel bollards, anchored in concrete, that reach 18 to 30 feet in height and will have lighting, cameras, sensors and improved roads to allow U.S. agents to respond quickly along an expanded “enforcement zone.”
Government contractors erect a 30-foot-high section of new Pentagon-funded border wall along the Colorado River in September in Yuma, Ariz. (Matt York/AP)
The San Diego sector of the border wall in April 2018. (Carolyn Van Houten/The Washington Post)
Vehicle barriers across a riverbed along the border in early January near Hereford, Ariz. (Carolyn Van Houten/The Washington Post)
Nearly all of the new fencing the Trump administration has built so far is considered “replacement” fencing, swapping out smaller, older vehicle barriers for a more elaborate — and costly — “border wall system.”
The administration has been slower to build new barriers where none currently exist, primarily because those spans require the acquisition of private land. Even with the slated construction goals, most of the southern border will not have a man-made barrier.
Pre-construction status of the southern border
Existing barrier: 654 miles
Barrier to remain
221 miles
Barrier to be replaced
133 miles
Vehicle barrier to be converted
300 miles
No barrier: 1,300 miles
Priority area for new construction
864 miles
Non-priority area. Mostly mountains
436 miles
U.S. - Mexico border
1,954 miles
Existing barrier: 654 miles
Barrier to remain
221 miles
Barrier to be replaced
133 miles
Vehicle barrier to be converted
300 miles
No barrier: 1,300 miles
Priority area for new construction
864 miles
Non-priority area. Mostly mountains
436 miles
U.S. - Mexico border
1,954 miles
Existing barrier
No barrier
654 miles
1,300 miles
Vehicle
barrier
to be
converted
Barrier
to
remain
Barrier
to be
replaced
Non-priority area
Mostly mountains
Priority area
for new construction
221
miles
133
miles
300
miles
864
miles
436
miles
U.S.-Mexico border, 1,954 miles
Existing barrier
No barrier
654 miles
1,300 miles
Vehicle
barrier
to be
converted
Barrier
to be
replaced
Barrier
to remain
Non-priority area
Mostly mountains
Priority area
for new construction
221
miles
133
miles
300
miles
864
miles
436
miles
U.S.-Mexico border, 1,954 miles
Existing barrier
No barrier
654 miles
1,300 miles
Vehicle
barrier
to be converted
Barrier to
be replaced
Barrier
to remain
Non-priority area
Mostly mountains
Priority area
for new construction
864 miles
221 miles
133 miles
300 miles
436 miles
U.S.-Mexico border, 1,954 miles
Trump has promised to build at least 500 miles of new fencing by early next year, and his administration has completed about 110 miles so far. To meet the president’s targets, crews will need to add about 30 linear miles of barrier per month throughout 2020, more than double the current pace of construction.
Administration goal by the end of 2020
450 miles of new or converted barrier
Overall goal
509 miles
Complete
110 miles
Under construction
192 miles
U.S.-Mexico border, 1,954 miles
Data as of Jan. 23
Administration goal by the end of 2020
450 miles of new or converted barrier
Overall goal
509 miles
Complete
110 miles
Under construction
192 miles
U.S.-Mexico border, 1,954 miles
Data as of Jan. 23
Administration goal by the end of 2020
450 miles of new or converted barrier
Overall goal
(targeted for Aug. 2021)
509 miles of new or
converted barrier
Complete, 110 miles
Under construction, 192 miles
U.S.-Mexico border, 1,954 miles
Data as of Jan. 23
Administration goal by the end of 2020
450 miles of new or converted barrier
Overall Administration goal
(targeted for Aug. 2021)
509 miles of new or converted barrier
Complete, 110 miles
Under construction, 192 miles
U.S.-Mexico border, 1,954 miles
Data as of Jan. 23
Administration goal by the end of 2020
450 miles of new or converted barrier
Overall goal (targeted for Aug. 2021)
509 miles of new or converted barrier
Complete, 110 miles
Under construction, 192 miles
U.S.-Mexico border, 1,954 miles
Data as of Jan. 23
Border-wall status reports obtained by The Post detail how much new construction the administration expects each month to finish 509 miles of new barrier by August 2021.
With the pace of construction lagging behind Trump’s targets, Department of Homeland Security officials have tried to lower expectations, saying they will have 450 miles completed or “under construction” by the end of the year.
Expected vs. actual construction progress
Administration goal: 509 miles of barrier
450 miles expected
by the end of 2020
500 miles
250
110 miles
completed
as of Jan. 23
0
‘19
‘20
‘21
Aug.
‘21
Data as of Jan. 23
Administration goal: 509 miles of barrier
450 miles expected
by the end of 2020
500 miles
250
110 miles completed
as of Jan. 23
0
2019
2020
2021
Aug.
2021
Data as of Jan. 23
Administration goal:
509 miles of barrier
500
miles
The construction of 450 miles
is expected by the end of 2020
400
300
200
138 miles expected
110 miles completed
as of Jan. 23
100
0
2019
2020
2021
Aug. 2021
Data as of Jan. 23
Administration goal:
509 miles of barrier
500
miles
The construction of 450 miles
is expected by the end of 2020
400
300
200
138 miles expected
110 miles completed
as of Jan. 23
100
0
2019
2020
2021
Aug. 2021
Data as of Jan. 23
Administration goal:
509 miles of barrier
500
miles
The construction of 450 miles
is expected by the end of 2020
400
300
200
138 miles expected
110 miles completed
as of Jan. 23
100
0
2019
2020
2021
Aug. 2021
Data as of Jan. 23
The Trump administration faces legal and physical challenges to hit its construction targets in Texas, where the Rio Grande forms a natural barrier along hundreds of miles of border.
Unlike in western states, where much of the land already is under government control, there are hundreds of riverfront farms, ranches and other properties in private hands in Texas. Some lack clear ownership records; others are held by multiple heirs. The government plans to make aggressive use of its eminent-domain powers to acquire them, but the process is slow and requires potentially lengthy legal actions.
In many cases, people are unwilling to hand their land over to the government or allow its use for the construction of border barriers, in part because it could split plots and restrict land use, block river access, affect scenic views or reduce land values. Some have vowed to fight.
Construction on public vs. private land
24% built
7% built
Private land
208 miles
Federal land
302 miles
U.S.-Mexico border, 1,954 miles
Data as of Nov. 14
24% built
7% built
Private land
208 miles
Federal land
302 miles
U.S.-Mexico border, 1,954 miles
Data as of Nov. 14
24% built
7% built
302 miles planned for
federal land
208 miles planned for
private land
U.S.-Mexico border, 1,954 miles
Data as of Nov. 14
24% built
7% built
302 miles planned for federal land
208 miles planned for private land
U.S.-Mexico border, 1,954 miles
Data as of Nov. 14
24% built
7% built
302 miles planned for federal land
208 miles planned for private land
U.S.-Mexico border, 1,954 miles
Data as of Nov. 14
Budget and spending
The White House is planning to divert an additional $7.2 billion from this year’s military budget, bringing the total amount of money available for the project to $18.4 billion, enough to complete nearly 900 miles of new barriers by 2022. Of that, just $5.1 billion has been authorized by lawmakers. The rest is coming from Defense Department funding, primarily through the Pentagon’s counternarcotics accounts and military construction budgets.
Legal challenges to Trump’s authority to spend money that Congress originally authorized for other purposes have at times temporarily blocked this White House tactic, but courts have sided with the administration.
Sources of funding
The private contractors who are receiving this money to build the structure comprise a range of large conglomerates and smaller companies. Most have tried to maintain a low profile, but the CEO of one firm, North Dakota-based Fisher Industries, has pursued an aggressive campaign to promote his company through lobbying efforts and appearances on Fox News.
Trump personally urged military officials to hire Fisher, and the company recently won a $400 million contract. Several lawmakers raised concerns about the bidding process, and the contract is now under review by the Pentagon’s inspector general.
Fund allocations to private contractors
Explore the contracts
Explore the billions of dollars in contracts that the federal government has issued for wall construction as of Nov. 14, including completed wall sections, those under construction and those that are considered “pre-construction.”
Fence
No barrier
CA
AZ
NM
TX
San Diego
Tucson
El Paso
Laredo
MEXICO
Construction area
250 mi.
Fence
No barrier
CALIF.
ARIZ.
N.M.
TEXAS
El Paso
Tucson
San Diego
Yuma
Laredo
MEXICO
Construction area
250 mi.
Fence
No barrier
CALIF.
ARIZ.
N.M.
TEXAS
El Paso
El Centro
Tucson
San Diego
Yuma
Pacific
Ocean
Gulf of
Mexico
Laredo
McAllen
MEXICO
Construction area
250 MILES
Fence
No barrier
CALIF.
ARIZ.
N.M.
TEXAS
El Paso
Tucson
El Centro
San Diego
Yuma
Pacific
Ocean
Gulf of
Mexico
Laredo
McAllen
MEXICO
Construction area
250 MILES
Fence
No barrier
CALIF.
ARIZ.
N.M.
TEXAS
El Paso
El Centro
Tucson
San Diego
Yuma
Pacific
Ocean
Gulf of
Mexico
Laredo
McAllen
MEXICO
Construction area
250 MILES
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Josh Dawsey, Danielle Rindler and Chris Alcantara contributed to this report.
About this story
Data from The Washington Post reporting and U.S. government documentation about the border barriers obtained by The Washington Post.
