For the fiscal year that ended on September 30, illegal crossings at America’s southern border topped two million, even by the extremely conservative estimates of DHS. The largest number of them (that we know of) originated in Venezuela, but there were still massive numbers coming from all over the world. So I guess it’s a good thing that Joe Biden announced last week that he was going to be building some new sections of the wall, right? Well… not so fast. The more we learn of what’s being planned, the less happy people on both sides of the aisle are. Most of Biden’s base doesn’t want any walls of any sort going up. But conservatives who want to close the border aren’t going to be happy about this either when they get a look at the design of the “movable wall” that’s being planned. (AP)
The Biden administration’s plan to build new barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border in South Texas calls for a “movable” design that frustrates both environmentalists and advocates of stronger border enforcement.
The plans for the nearly 20 miles (32 kilometers) of new barrier in Starr County were made public in September when the federal government sought public input. The following month, the administration waived 26 federal laws protecting the environment and certain species to speed up the construction process.
“The United States Border Patrol did not ask for this downgraded border wall,” Rodney Scott, a former U.S. Border Patrol chief said.
As you can see above, border security veterans are describing the design as a “downgraded border wall.” And that might be a generous description. The “movable” wall consists of metal bollards sprouting from four-foot-high concrete blocks. Each of the sections is much shorter than Trump’s wall and while fairly heavy, they could still be shoved out of the way by someone with a pickup truck if they didn’t mind some damage to the fenders. Concerns are also being raised that during the rainy season, the four-foot concrete blocks could cause water to back up and lead to flooding. The tall bollard design allows the water to drain through the gaps and into the river.
This is far different than what was being discussed in the original announcement last week. They were talking about not only a wall but the construction of new CBP roads along the wall. You’re not going to build roads next to a wall that you might move later. They also mentioned remotely operated cameras and other “detection technology.” None of that seems to be incorporated into this design...more
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