Wall goes up along NM border

Albuquerque Journal ^ | 10 Oct 2020 | MATTHEW REISEN

[BeauBo]

The border wall is well underway in southern New Mexico. And James Johnson couldn’t be happier.

The third-generation farmer, wearing sunglasses, blue jeans and dusty work boots, beamed as he talked about the wall that winds alongside the southern edge of his farm, about 12 miles west of Columbus.

“It’s beautiful. I mean, we’re ecstatic,” Johnson, the owner of Carzalia farms, told the Journal...

Just over a year ago, Johnson told the Journal he was “eager” to see the wall built and even granted the federal government an easement to get the ball rolling.

Johnson said that construction began on Aug. 5 and that he was told the portion along his farm would be finished by January...

“It was a shock to us because it’s been tied up in politics for so long that we were afraid that it wasn’t going to happen,” Johnson said, adding that he’s been frustrated by the political back-and-forth on the wall.

“I’m dismayed by our representation in Washington that, in the past, supported this, and now they act like it’s such a bad thing,” Johnson said...

For Johnson, the wall will take a “massive weight” off his shoulders after years of dealing with theft, abandoned immigrants and wayward cattle. The farmer estimates that in the past 40 years the farm has lost alfalfa, cattle and thousands of bags of onions to thieves from across the border who sell the stolen goods in Mexico.

Johnson said the wall will also serve a “humanitarian” purpose by dissuading human smuggling.

“I can’t tell you how many people I’ve found wandering in the desert because their coyote left them, abandoned them, dehydrated, hungry,” he said. “Now that the wall is built, we can focus our efforts on a good guest worker program and a good immigration program.”

[BeauBo]

Transforming border communities - ten miles a week.

The old barrier, without access road:

The new (so-called "replacement") miles - 30 feet tall, with a high speed, all weather access road alongside for Border Patrol, and sensors and alarms to increase detection rates toward 100%

[BeauBo]

Local feel good Ping.

[Shark24]

Paging Ann Coulter. Love you but please give President Trump his due on this. No help from anyone yet still got some of it done.

[Jonty30]

It is up to 350 miles.

[Beagle8U]

Biden and Camel toe said they would tear the wall back down.

[Jonty30]

They are very dangerous. If Trump loses, prepare for the end.

[gov_bean_ counter]

The two rows of concertina wire on the US side are a nice touch. IF someone manages to scale the wall, good luck jumping past the wire...

[caww]

[shelterguy]

Also if they actually did get to the top of the wall the sensors would have been activated and the Border Patrol would be there already.

[Beagle8U]

If were to lose people better prepare Civil war part Dux.

[gov_bean_ counter]

I saw some pictures at a virtual town hall a couple of weeks age. Very, very impressive construction.

[TheConservativeTejano]

Partner, you are doing a great job reporting the Southern Border Wall.

This Southern Border Wall is so dear to so many Freepers that live in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California.

I have been along the border in New Mexico and I was astonished that there is was no border wall between El Paso and the into Arizona.

We will have a finished Southern Border Wall where they can not climb and it is a permanent border.

We need to say a big thank you to President Trump.

There were so many Mexicans and no telling where the others came from but they were crossing into the U.S. and stopping by that Rest Stop close to Deming, N.M. It was an eye opener to say the least.

Thanks for letting us know what is going on that Southern Border Wall.

[Beagle8U]

* If Trump were to lose..

[Hypo2]

IMO, There needs to be more flat steel on top, about 9 feet (or taller than a 6ft person with arms outstretched). so they can’t grab the top and pull them selves over.

And to prevent cutting through with sawsall...fill the bollards with concrete.

[gov_bean_ counter]

Good take.

[SmokingJoe]

See #7

[diatomite]

I know Mr. Johnson and his father. I bought water from him in the 80’s for several drilling projects on claims just west of his farmed area.

I know about the Mexicans crossing the border on every evening pulling up my claim posts for walking sticks. Those bastards were making my claims invalid doing that. I saw them while mapping the geology of those claims. They were always ALL male groups with backpacks. I thought they were drug mules. They were always hiking to a gap in the mountains to the north which would lead out to Highway 9 that ran between Columbus and Hachita. I figured someone would pick them and their loads on that highway.

One day an ICE agent was hassling me checking my ID, plates, etc. I told him he should be chasing the 14 hikers that were headed for the gap. He immediately lost interest in me and headed back to that highway in a hurry.

[Don Corleone]

The old barrier, without access road:

at one time there was NOTHING there except a few widely space monoliths about 5 feet tall and painted white.

[wareagle7295]

If i’m Trump i’m showing these at every rally. Brag about it. Promise kept. But it needs to keep being built.

[Balding_Eagle]

The bollards are filled with concrete.