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President Trump has achieved a significant victory in his long-standing border wall initiative, securing $46.5 billion in new funding with minimal congressional opposition as part of his “One Big Beautiful Bill” budget law. This marks a dramatic shift from his first term, when border wall funding requests triggered major political battles, including the longest government shutdown in U.S. history over a $5 billion request in 2019.
Currently, Customs and Border Protection has 100 miles of border barriers in various stages of development, including 83 miles of traditional wall and 17 miles of waterborne barriers using leftover funds from President Trump’s first administration that former President Biden had slow-walked but never eliminated. The agency reports having a comprehensive strategy to deploy the new funding to complete Mr. Trump’s border wall vision and address gaps left when Mr. Biden halted construction on his first day in office in 2021.
Public support for the border wall has grown significantly, with Pew Research Center polling showing 56% approval in June 2024, up from 46% in 2019. This shift in public opinion largely stems from the Biden administration’s immigration challenges, including millions of border crossings that strained government services nationwide and high-profile incidents like the murder of 22-year-old Laken Riley by a Venezuelan migrant in Georgia.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem recently issued environmental waivers to expedite construction in southern Texas, citing continued drug trafficking in the Rio Grande Valley. The administration argues that only one-third of the southwest border currently has man-made barriers, with most lacking modern detection technology, cameras, and lighting systems.
During his first term, Mr. Trump completed over 450 miles of barriers, though most replaced existing outdated fencing, with fewer than 50 miles covering previously unfenced areas. He ultimately secured funding through emergency declarations, redirecting approximately $10.6 billion from various federal accounts after Congress rejected his larger requests.
Critics like David Bier from the Cato Institute warn the new funding could create “Korean demilitarized zone levels of barriers” and predict excess funds might be redirected to detention facilities or personnel recruitment. However, supporters argue that strategic barrier placement allows Border Patrol agents to be better positioned to respond to illegal crossings.
The political dynamics have shifted dramatically since President Trump’s first term, with Democrats now struggling to defend against reports of immigration-related challenges in major cities, making the border wall a more politically viable proposition for the current administration.
Read more: How Trump won the border wall battle
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