The construction of President Donald Trump’s proposed controversial border wall between the United States and Mexico has officially begun, the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on Wednesday announced. The CBP said that the US government has begun working on construction for a border wall replacement near downtown Calexico, which is nearly 118 miles east of San Diego, California.
Trump, during his presidential campaign in 2016, had promised a wall along the southern borders of the US and Mexico, in an attempt to keep illegal migrants at bay. His proposed wall between the two countries has faced worldwide condemnation, with many critics stating that the wall will not help stop illegal immigration much.
A shadow from a U.S. Air and Marine Operations (AMO), Black Hawk helicopter passes along the U.S.-Mexico border fence on February 21, 2018 near McAllen, Texas. (Getty Images)
President Trump, shortly after assuming the presidential seat, had signed an executive order for the construction of the wall. The Republican had also insisted that Mexico would pay for the construction of the wall, however, the Mexican government outright rejected the idea.
The CBP released a statement saying that the project covers an area of the Calexico West Port of Entry extending westward beyond the Gran Plaza Outlets, which includes around 2.25 miles of all-weather roads.
The project extends beyond the areas of the Gran Plaza outlets (Source: GranPlaza)
The federal agency statement also added that the wall in the particular area was built in the 1990s from recycled scraps of metal and old landing mat, and the El Centro Sector wall replacement is one of Border Patrol’s highest priority projects.
President Donald had claimed that Mexico would pay for his controversial border wall. (Getty Images)
The agency also said that the construction of a more substantial replacement wall will ensure better safety of the border agents and the public. The CBP also said that the construction will enhance the overall border security and will create a better atmosphere for business and commerce.
The particular border construction is the first project contract assigned by the Trump administration, apart from eight varied prototypes of border wall which were constructed near the Otay Mesa border crossing San Diego, according to news agency Xinhua.
U.S. Border Patrol trainees fire M-4 rifles during a weapons training class at the U.S. Border Patrol Academy on August 3, 2017 in Artesia, New Mexico. (Getty Images)
President Trump’s administration last month had told the US Congress that it requires at least 18 billion dollars over the next decade to complete the initial construction phase of the US-Mexico border wall. Reports state that under the Trump administration’s proposed plan, nearly half of the 3,300-km border between the two countries would have a border wall or other fences by 2027.