Border Wall System update

They want every man for himself and every decisions completely local, communal actually.

Kind of like a homeless encampment ?

Making US into UN...

LP is a delusional platform.

Love metrics

bttt

How much of that is new rather than repair/upgrade replacement?

Would love to see the kind of effort put in to this Wall project akin to what we saw in Wuhan, China hospital construction. Dozens of excavators/dozers/graders ,etc. working feverishly around the clock. Anyway, progress is being made.

Not sure of precise status of Fisher project on Rio Grande, but hopefully they will complete this portion soon.

And they want ALL drugs legalized. Every single one from heroin to bath salts.

“How much of that is new rather than repair/upgrade replacement?”

It really depends on how you want to define terms, so it can get into quibbling.

For example, in San Diego there was mostly a double barrier, but the secondary barrier had a 1 1/2 mile gap through steep and heavily vegetated terrain. They cleared the vegetation, graded and installed an all weather road through there, put in stadium lighting, cameras and alarms, and filled the former gap in the secondary barrier with thirty foot high bollards. Does that 1 1/2 miles of secondary barrier “count” as “new”, because there was no secondary barrier before?

All of that (actually new) security infrastructure was in addition to what was there before (a single run of landing mat fence, also since replaced with 18-30 foot bollards), but some would say it does not count as “new”, because there was something there before - even if it was effectively an open door, that is now powerfully shut.

Additionally, some of the bollards that have been installed in Arizona and New Mexico “replaced” a simple triple strand barbed wire cattle fence with 18-30 foot bollards, all-weather road, embedded alarm systems and 24x7 camera monitoring; but are equally dismissed by some as (implicitly) insignificant “replacement”.

Most places where illegal traffic is heavy, have long had some kind of barrier, however ineffective. The Trump Administration priority list was developed on the basis of what would stop the most traffic, so it prioritizes the border cities and the Rio Grande Valley, where traffic is heaviest (over 80% of the total volume).

The border cities have long had some kind of border barrier/demarcation line, but for several reasons, the Rio Grande Valley did not (the shifting river itself marked the border, and construction was challenged by frequent flooding, treaty obligations and widespread private ownership of the land). Along the Rio Grande is where the overwhelming bulk of so-called “new” miles (that have any real significance to controlling illegal activity) will be built.

So far only about two totally “new” miles have been built in the Rio Grande Valley, where no man-made barrier of any kind previously existed, most of that just South of Falcon Lake, where the river bends, near Fronton (but construction only began in the Rio Grande Valley about three months ago).

A second project in the Rio Grande Valley near McAllen (Donna) is also now under construction, but that is in a flood area that requires the barrier to also serve as a massive FEMA Hurricane-certified flood control levee (a major upgrade for the community), so that construction (although already fully funded and contracted) will proceed slowly.

Altogether, over 100 totally “new” miles have been funded and contracted in the Lower Rio Grande Valley (Falcon Lake to Brownsville), but actual construction is just getting ready to start on most of the segments, due to delays in land acquisition, from about 400 private property owners. By this Summer, the Rio Grande Valley is on track to become a bee hive of construction activity, with many crews working concurrently, almost entirely on “new barrier. Generally, the lower elevations East of McAllen is mostly slow to build Levee Wall System, and along the higher banks West of McAllen, it is mainly the faster to build Wall System, with the common trench foundation.

Another 52 mile stretch of “new” miles has already been funded running North from the Laredo Colombia Port of Entry, and FY 2020 appropriations will fund most if not all of the miles from that Port of Entry, South to Falcon Lake. Those contracts should be awarded this year.

So something like 250 miles along the Rio Grande Valley (where no man-made barrier of any kind previously existed) has been specifically funded, and is somewhere in the pipeline.

Additionally, the White House has confirmed that they intend to divert more than $7 billion from the Military budget this year to build additional border barrier. The specific segments have not been publicly announced yet, but I believe it likely that most of the remaining border along the Rio Grande up to Lake Amistad/Box Canyon (through Del Rio and Eagle Pass) will likely be funded from this money - about 150 more “new” miles.

The Pentagon has received a formal request from Homeland Security to fund 270 specific miles of segments out of the new FY 2020 Military budget (another request might follow later). The legal review in the Pentagon for this new 270 mile request was conducted up through last Friday (31 Jan). Presumably, that action is now back in the office of the Secretary of Defense, preparing the formal response, which will release funding for contracting. When that is done (likely in the coming days or weeks), we will likely see the specific segments’ details, and find out how many will be “new”.

When the SecDef signs off to release the funding for the specif segments authorized, the US Border Patrol Chief will include those additional miles into the totals on the weekly Border Wall System update graphic (As they say, A vision without funding, is just an hallucination). Based on the amount of money the Administration has planned to divert, the total of the Trump Wall System Program will be 885 miles this year (although completing all of that construction on the contracts will likely extend through 2021, and into 2022).

Likely a third or more of the total miles in the Program will be “new” miles. Since contracting and construction follows a carefully justified priority list, based on the operational requirements to impede illegal traffic, the overwhelming bulk of the earlier miles will be where there already some kind of barrier (where there has always been a big problem).

As we build further down the priority list, we will increasingly be addressing the more marginal, or potential alternate smuggling routes, where limited resources were never previously available to build any kind of barrier whatsoever. So the further down the priority list, the higher the proportion of “new” miles.

Easy: a secondary barrier added is an upgrade. Not legitimately counted toward miles of entirely new fencing.

And thanks.

And thanks also for the careful explanation as well as honesty—about two totally new miles built in three-plus years.

God bless President Trump. He direly needs another four-year term!

"Not sure of precise status of Fisher project on Rio Grande"

There is quite a bit of secondary barrier going in where there was no secondary barrier before - Calexico, Ca; Tecate, CA; Andrade, CA (a suburb of Yuma, AZ); Yuma/San Luis, AZ; and a long stretch (I think 32 miles) along the Air Force’s Barry Goldwater Range in Arizona.

Whenever they get a secondary barrier, it is a complete System upgrade, with a heavily improved, alarmed and monitored “enforcement zone” between the two barriers. The whole system is very powerful protection - far beyond what is seen almost anywhere else in the world, where the border is not an active Military confrontation.

Calexico used to lead the Nation in assaults on Border Patrol Officers. The first layer (Primary Barrier) of thirty foot bollards (with lights, cameras and road) caused that to immediately plummet about 85%. After the Secondary Barrier completes this year, it is going to be a virtual dead zone for illegal activity. Local Mexican teens could hop the old landing mat in literally a matter of seconds, and sprint into the nearby outlet mall in less than one minute. Soon it will require a team of circus acrobats with special equipment to cross illegally there. Door closed. Even if it “merely replaces” pre-existing barrier, it solves the actual problem.

In my opinion, the Bush-era (Secure Fence Act) wall building Program fell prey to the political temptation to just rack up miles to brag about, even if the design was a cheap, quick and dirty job, that would not make a real operational difference. Most of it needs to be re-done, to really gain operational control of the border. I have not seen that with the Trump Program. In fact, President Trump took a lot of heat from his base because of a slow start, while things were carefully analyzed, designed, planned, and prioritized; before the heavy concrete was poured. It is a lot more optimal bang for the buck, but it took some political courage to do it right.

Beyond the barrier itself, a very aggressive technology fielding is occurring. Although about half the length of the Arizona border is currently funded for Trump-style Super Barrier (New Mexico too) before the 2020 Military-funded segments are even announced, the whole length of the Arizona border is already funded for persistent fixed surveillance under the Integrated Fixed Towers Program - itself just one of several layers of technology now being fielded.

Technology is rolling out faster than barrier, in mileage terms. Since the cost is generally 1/1,000th that of barrier per mile, it falls under the radar (little pun there) of most news reporting.

On top of DHS’ technology programs, DoD is layering its own pretty comprehensive situational awareness (surveillance, identification and tracking) capability on the border, and is a Government leader in integrating such multiple sensor systems into a single common operational picture, which can be shared Inter-Agency with Law Enforcement and Intelligence.

It seems that Military Predator drone units have been permanently established at several locations along the Southern Border, in addition to enhancing the sensor suite of prior (like Aerostat blimps) and other newly resourced (satellite?) Military resources.

The same unified command (USNORTHCOM) that monitors our Air and Space frontiers through its subordinate NORAD, also commands and controls component forces now dedicated to the Southern Border, and can host liaisons from DHS in their Operations Centers, and provide real time data feeds to support Law Enforcement operations like apprehensions, back up and MEDEVAC.

Also interesting. Again, thanks. I would of course prefer a border that stops them cold without setting foot on the legal morass that is US soil, but so it goes.

I like this: “The same unified command (USNORTHCOM) that monitors our Air and Space frontiers through its subordinate NORAD, also commands and controls component forces now dedicated to the Southern Border...”

“about two totally new miles built in three-plus years.”

...in the Rio Grande Valley.

There is a smattering of small patches in other areas that might add up to another 2 in total, if you don’t count any Secondary Barrier. Because crews just recently began working on totally “new” stretches, there is finally going to be a weekly increase from here on out in the “new” areas, which most significantly means the Rio Grande Valley (RGV).

The rate is going to increase sharply as well, based on the contracts that have already been awarded, and again (even more) by the contracts coming. About $6.3 billion has been put on contract so far (2017 till now) - but about $12 billion is expected to go on contract in 2020.

We are not going to get an authoritative total for so-called “new” miles though , like we do from the Border Patrol Chief for the total Program, because the Administration does not recognize the legitimacy of the distinction. They view all the new construction as “new” miles - that discounting “replacement” is just a Leftist rhetorical trick to disparage the effort, and discourage supporters - a distinction without an operational difference.

In fact, any such criteria that would mis-direct investment dollars from where the traffic is actually heaviest, would sabotage the effectiveness of the Program. The objective is stop the most illegal traffic, not to justify the best talking points, or to try to mollify critics, who in many cases are just fundamentally dishonest in their objections.

No sense in erecting a “new” mile in the rural desert, while illegals are pouring over and through “existing” barriers in the border cities. First things first.

Experts armed with the actual data carefully prioritized the segments, and had to justify their analysis to hostile (and highly paid expert) auditors in both the Executive Branch’s OMB, and the Legislative Branch’s CBO. It is a badge of honor (and professional competence), that the highest trafficked corridors are being closed first.

Historically, the highest trafficked corridors have long been (for generations) San Diego, Yuma, and the Rio Grande Valley. All three (and other significant routes) have already been funded and contracted for effective closure. San Diego is done, Yuma is half done, and the RGV is scheduled to complete this year, regardless of what might happen in the election.

I’ve read carefully the official LP website over time. They used to be more “open”, now it’s a bit guarded, but with any discernment at all, one can see what they want. Basically anarachy.

Tribal, homeless, and eventually enclaves ruled by ganglords/robber barons,

Of course recognizing new miles of fence is not just a leftist trick. To obscure such simple truths is an insult to taxpayers.

I agree. Here’s one issue.

I believe it was a Libertarian that stated we didn’t need any police departments. He proudly proclaimed that local citizens could do all the policing needed.

Didn’t have the heart to explain to the guy that’s what police departments are.

“God bless President Trump. He direly needs another four-year term!”

From your lips to God’s ears.

Five days after his inauguration, President Trump issued Executive Order 13767, Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements, which required DHS to build a wall, and develop a Comprehensive Plan to achieve full operational control of the Southern Border.

The Comprehensive Plan boiled down to $25 billion, 5 years, building about 1,100 miles of barrier, thousands of new full time positions and several technology programs. Based on what has been announced so far, The Trump Administration is on track to deliver (fund and contract, even though the contractors’ delivery will lag a year or more) about 900 of the 1,100 miles, in his first term.

Since the order of segment contracting is carefully prioritized, the last 200 miles is by far the least important, and most amenable to be being effectively traded off with improved technology. The first 300-400 miles (border cities and the Rio Grande Valley) historically accounts for over 80% of the total illegal traffic, and is scheduled to complete construction by the end of this year.

The full fruits of a controlled border won’t be realized until the second term (after all the construction is complete), but the heavy political and financial lifting to get the border secured, will have been done in the first term.

The 10 year baseline budget already has a wedge of $1.4 billion per year built in for barrier (thanks Speaker Ryan), out to 2027 - enough for about 70 miles of Trump-style Super Barrier Wall System per year. Even a RINO could allow that program to successfully run on auto-pilot by the bureaucracy in DHS.

Something that is shaping up for a second term, is a significant campaign to disrupt and destroy major criminal cartels, while they are at each other’s throats for the best new routes around the new barrier. Historically, the biggest Cartel violence has centered around this competition, and the barrier is going to set off a rapid round of musical chairs, the likes of which they have never seen before.

The planning, organizing and preparation for such a Strategic campaign by US Law Enforcement, Military, Diplomatic and Intelligence activities seems to be underway.

The suit against Fisher Industries by the “butterfly people” was to be heard in federal court in McAllen,TX today. However, judge permitted construction to resume in mid-January. Not sure how judge will rule this time around...