Q&A – How Much of The Wall Would Trump’s OBBB Complete? – Driven By Braman Motorcars
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Today’s Entry: Brian, I listen daily and heard you say that Trump’s Big, beautiful, bill would allow for 700 miles of southern border wall. Is that all that’s left to be completed? Why wouldn’t they account for all of the remaining border wall?
Bottom Line: So yes, while recently hosting the Fraternal Order of Police at the White House President Trump was touting border security protections that’d be paid for within the current version of the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act. Specifically, the number cited was 700 miles. But is that a literal number? How much of the southern border wall has been completed? How much is left to go? What’s happening right now? Let’s dig in starting with a refresh on what was completed by the end of Trump’s first term as president:
- 458 miles of total constructed border wall
- 372 miles replaced and/or expanded previously existing border barriers
- 88 miles was newly expanded southern border protection
- 54% of our Southern border with Mexico containing some form of barrier – up from 34% pre-Trump
President Trump’s Day one executive order restarting construction of the southern border wall with existing DHS funds inherited by the Trump administration that had been allocated for border security. In March Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced that the Trump administration was ready to resume southern border wall construction, construction that was stopped on day 1 of the Biden administration through an executive order. The first approved project was a 7-mile stretch in Arizona that was under construction at the time that the Biden administration ended construction of the wall. Last week the administration announced the next phase of wall to be built will be a 36-Mile stretch between Arizona and New Mexico. Those projects are able to be completed with previously allocated funds. So where do we stand and how much is left that needs to be funded?
According to my estimates, there were approximately 897 miles of southern border that lacked either a natural barrier or a wall prior to Trump’s second administration. With the two newly approved projects in Arizona and New Mexico, that will leave about 854 miles to go. That’s only a rough estimate, but it does imply that there’s more to go to complete the wall than 700 miles. So, does that mean that the OBBB won’t fully fund it if passed as is? The answer is no. In fact, there’s more than enough currently allocated dough.
During President Trump’s first term the average cost of building a mile of border wall checked in at approximately $6.5 million. According to the Department of Homeland Security, those costs have now increased to $12-$14 million per mile – thank you ‘Bidenflation. The inflated costs of finishing the border wall is but one more thing the Biden administration screwed this country on. Nevertheless... here’s what the high-end estimate cost to complete the wall looks like:
- $10.25 billion to $11.96 billion
So effectively as long as there is at least $12 billion in the OBBB for enhanced border security – the wall can be completed. So where do we stand? The Department of Homeland Security requested $45.6 billion in the OBBB for enhanced border security – as Secretary Kristi Noem said that in addition to completing the wall, DHS needs to replace camera systems along the border and wants to use enhanced technology, like sensors and drones to assist border patrol agents. The House Republican version of the bill included the funding for this request – so as of the version of the bill today – the cost of completing the wall would be funded four times over. In fact, this is a point of contention in the Senate currently within the GOP.
Senate Republicans are looking to cut costs within the OBBB before passing their version of the bill, senators like Rand Paul and Ron Johnson, who’re supportive of building the wall – have grilled Noem about all of the additional costs. In the words of Ron Johnson, in a hearing with Noem recently: I'm asking you and the department to sharpen your pencil on that wall request. It's more than you need. And Rand Paul told Noem: We're off here by a factor of three or four. We can't just throw another $30 billion out there and say, Things cost a lot. So it appears likely that the final number DHS will receive will be lower than the $45+ billion request – however there’s every indication from all corners of the GOP – that there will be full funding for the completion of the southern border wall – and most likely even more than is needed.