Trump's Border Wall Construction Underway with Specialized 'Anti-Climbing Plate'
One of the main planks in President Donald Trump’s campaign platform was his infamous wall on the southern border — and slowly but surely, it looks like it’s going forward.
Despite several delays — not the least of which is strong opposition from Democrats — construction of a portion of the wall near San Diego began on Friday, June 1, reassuring conservative supporters of border security that the promise hasn’t been forgotten.
According to WFTX News, the work is taking place at Border Field State Park in California, an area of land that extends all the way to Mexican territory near Tijuana.
An old and run-down barrier already existed at the border, but this was noticeably outdated and constructed of discarded scrap metal from the 1970s.
“The work will replace about 14 miles of scrap metal wall that stands up to 10 feet high with a wall between 18 and 30 feet tall,” WFTX reported.
Critics of the wall proposal have stated that illegal border crossers can simply scale the barrier, as they often do now. That will be much harder with the new construction, thanks to a specific innovation.
“The new wall will also have an anti-climbing plate, Customs and Border Protection said,” WFTX continued.
Details of that anti-climbing plate are sparse, but it most likely is a sheer surface that makes it difficult for potential border crossers to gain traction or handholds to overcome the formidable wall.
“The construction of this new substantial wall will improve overall border security, the safety and effectiveness of Border Patrol agents, the safety of the public, and will enhance the atmosphere for business and commerce in the area,” explained Rodney Scott, the Chief Patrol Agent for the San Diego.
Other border officers made sure Trump received credit for the much-needed improvements.
“Under this president’s leadership, we have a renewed commitment to secure our border,” said Ronald Vitiello, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Acting Deputy Commissioner.
“The new primary wall-project represents an important milestone in our work to secure the international border,” that official continued.
“Not only does it significantly upgrade our existing infrastructure in San Diego, it also marks the third concurrent wall project in the U.S. and reflects CBP’s unwavering commitment to secure our borders and protect our Nation,” Vitiello said.
Customs and Border Protection apprehended or turned away a staggering 415,191 illegal border crossers in 2017.
Imagine an entire city of illegal aliens, all coming across the border every year. That’s not an exaggeration: 415,191 is nearly the total population of Raleigh, North Carolina, or Atlanta, Georgia, both medium-sized cities.
The exact number of illegal immigrants in the United States is unknown, but experts estimate that around 11 million people were living in the country illegally in 2016.
Almost every issue, from the economy to terrorism to gun crime, is influenced by the insecure southern border. Attempting to fix issues inside the country while ignoring the serious problems along the border is like trying to bail a flooding boat without patching any holes.
The wall may not be a perfect solution, but at least officials are finally taking action instead of pretending that an unsecured country isn’t an issue.
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