Jan 11, 2020 - Politics & Policy
Trump admin says it completed 100th mile of southern border wall
Photo: John Moore/Getty Images
The Trump administration announced on Friday it completed the first 100 miles of barrier wall along the southwest border.
What he's saying: From Yuma, Arizona, Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf touted the new 30-foot wall and responded to critics who claim it only replaces previously existing fencing. "We have replaced 1970s-era landing mat fence that was easy to compromise, or vehicle barriers that were easy to defeat, with state-of-the-art infrastructure and detection capabilities," Wolf said.
What's next: Trump has vowed to construct 400–450 miles of barriers by the end of 2020, per AP.
- Construction is underway in some areas where barriers were not previously, including the Rio Grande Valley in southern Texas, according to ABC News, but those stretches remain incomplete.
Go deeper: Court rules Trump can use military funds for border wall