Biden’s Administration announced plans to build a limited number of barriers and gates along the U.S.-Mexico Border. Projects will include new and replacement components sourced from Trump’s allotments.
Raul Ortiz (Chief of the U.S. Border Patrol) tweeted a list border security projects Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas had recently approved.
Mayorkas instructed U.S. Customs and Border Protection to conduct multiple border barrier construction projects in the San Diego, El Centro and Yuma Sectors. The Department’s plan states that the project will “address safety and life issues as well as any other remediation requirements.”
Some projects will replace or improve on obsolete border infrastructure. Others will create new gates and barriers.
Officials claim the projects include:
A replacement of an outdated train gate in El Centro, which is in disrepair, is required to address the safety and lives risks Agents and migrants face because of frequent train operations.
Retractable gates will be installed under an existing bridge that crosses the New River in Imperial County. This is done in order to lower the danger of the river’s dangerous waters.
A train and vehicle barrier was built in El Paso Sector to address safety concerns for agents and migrants who are exposed to regular train operations.
The deteriorated barrier, which is located near Friendship Circle in Imperial Beach, must be removed. It is not properly treated to resist corrosion from the nearby ocean water. This presents safety risks to Border Patrol Agents and community members as well as migrants.
A vertical lift gate was built over the Tijuana River to close the gap. This was done to address safety concerns caused by the river channel’s pollution.
Yuma Sector could close a safety- and life-threatening gap that could pose a threat to agents and the community. This is because of the legacy of previous border barrier construction.
Perform site cleanup in the Rio Grande Valley Sector. For Border Patrol Agents, first responders and others, it is difficult to gain access to certain areas.
Projects will be funded by authorizations granted under Trump’s Trump administration by Congress, specifically for FY 17, 18 and 21, budget years. DHS officials stated that the projects would “begin quickly”.
DHS stated that it is still reviewing other paused border barrier projects that could pose safety and environmental hazards. The Department has begun environmental planning in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), for projects that have not been completed according to its plan.
