U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced Tuesday that companies building the San Diego, California portion of Donald Trump’s border wall had 30 days to finish the job. Construction on eight of the prototypes began after several months of delays.
A total of six companies from different places throughout the nation were selected to start building the eight prototypes. Trump wants the walls to reach up to 30-feet, and for half to be made out of concrete – the other half of other materials.
The objective of the wall is, of course, to deter illegal immigration, which many believe it will hardly stop the influx of Mexican immigrants. Once the prototypes get built, the Department of Homeland Security will test their efficiency and resilience.
Ronald Vitiello, deputy commissioner for the CBP, said in a statement, “We are committed to securing our border and that includes constructing border walls.” He continued, “Our multi-pronged strategy to ensure the safety and security of the American people include barriers, infrastructure, technology and people.”
“Moving forward with the prototype enables us to continue to incorporate all the tools necessary to secure our border.” – Ronald Vitiello, CBP
There is currently no funding from Congress for Trump’s $38 billion plan to build the border wall. The Department of Homeland Security will fund the prototypes, reallocating money from other areas to pay the half a million dollars each prototype costs.
This fund-reallocation doesn’t sit too well with Trump supporters who voted for him because he promised Mexico would pay for the construction of the wall. Mexican politicians have said, on several occasions, that their government would not spend a dime on Trump’s wall.
On the other hand, American officials expect protestors to show up at the construction site and have prepared for it already. They have already taken measures to separate civilians from the border wall and set up a designated protesting area a mile and a half away.
Although no protestors showed up Tuesday, no-parking zones are already in effect until November 10th. Activists have yet to make their presence known because they believe it’s still just a political circus with no traction behind the prototypes.
If this is just Donald Trump playing his role as the enforcer, we will know in a month. However, the POTUS did state he would not include the plan to build the wall in his negotiations for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program recipients.