'Trump Wall': everything you need to know about it in numbers - ForumDaily
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'Trump Wall': everything you need to know about her in numbers

From the end of 2018 to January 25, 2019, the federal government shutdown continued in the United States, which occurred due to a dispute over funding for the construction of a wall on the border with Mexico.

Фото: Depositphotos

December 22 in the United States was suspended work of state institutions after lawmakers could not find a way out of the budget impasse, writes Air force.

President Donald Trump demanded an allotment for a wall construction project on the border with Mexico 5,7 billion dollars. Democrats in Congress refused to finance the construction of the wall and even before Trump’s speech rejected his proposal.

The shutdown became the longest in the country's history; it affected 800 thousand federal employees who were sent on unpaid leave or forced to work without receiving pay.

In this article, we present seven facts that explain What is the condition of the wall construction project? on the border with Mexico, and to what extent the construction of the wall can help the United States in the fight against illegal migration and drug smuggling.

1. Trump hasn't built much yet.

Even before Donald Trump took office, 654 miles (a little over 1000 km) of barriers were built on the border with Mexico - along the border with the states of California, Arizona, New Mexico and partly on the border with Texas.

At the same time, 354 miles of a fence (570 km) are designed to block the way for pedestrians, and 300 miles (483 km) obstacles prevent those who are trying to cross the border with the United States by transport.

During the election campaign in 2016, Trump promised to build a wall along the border with Mexico, which is almost 2000 miles (3218 km).

Later, he explained that he would build a wall only on those areas where it is required, and on the remaining sections there is no need to build a wall, as there are natural obstacles in the form of mountains and rivers.

After Trump became president, some of the existing barriers were moved, but the overall length of the barriers did not increase.

Previously, Congress approved spending $1,7 billion to replace old barriers with new ones; in total, it was planned to use this money to replace fences along sections of 124 miles (almost 200 km).

However, for the time being, the barriers at the site in 40 miles (64 km) have been replaced. As expected, in the 2019 year, the barriers at the 61 mile (98 km) will be replaced.

Thus, 15% of existing barriers will be replaced. And in February in Texas will begin what can be called the construction of a new wall.

The length of one section of the wall will be six miles (almost 10 km), the other eight miles (about 13 km). In total, 14 miles (22,5 km) of new wall will be built.

Despite Trump's desire to continue the fight to build a wall on the border with Mexico, new polls conducted by the Pew Research Center sociologists show that most Americans (58%) are against increasing the length of the wall, and only 40% of US residents support Trump's idea.

2. Nobody knows how much a wall will cost.

There are a number of very different estimates of the cost of a concrete wall construction project, including estimates provided by official representatives, as well as analysts and experts.

The possible cost of the wall varies from 12 to 70 billion dollars.

Estimated cost of the Trump Wall project:

  • money that must be transferred by January 2019 - $7,4 billion;
  • Donald Trump, 2017 - $8-12 billion;
  • Senator Mitch McConnell (Republican) - $12-15 billion;
  • US Department of Homeland Security - $21,6-25 billion;
  • Bernstein Research analysts - $15-25 billion;
  • consulting company Gleeds - $31 billion;
  • think tank New America Foundation - $40 billion;
  • Senator Claire McCaskill (Democratic Party) - $70 billion.

The 650 miles of fence (about 1000 km) built under George W. Bush cost the United States $7 billion, but this fence is difficult to compare with the “high, secure and beautiful” wall that Trump promised to build.

So far, Trump is seeking to allocate 5,7 billion dollars, in addition to the already approved 1,7 billion.

The US Department of Homeland Security previously estimated the construction of the wall at 25 billion dollars. However, the agency says it is still trying to figure out the approximate cost of the project.

The US Customs and Border Protection Service says that, on average, the cost of one mile of a wall is 6,5 million dollars.

3. Trump wanted to build a concrete wall, now he talks about steel construction

Trump changed his mind about the materials from which the wall should be made.

Trump's promise to build a "big, beautiful wall" between the United States and Mexico was the main theme of his election campaign. Then he talked about a concrete wall.

However, after the election, he suddenly spoke of a steel structure that would allow border guards to see what was happening on the other side of the wall.

In October 2017, the Trump administration unveiled eight nine-meter wall prototypes, all combinations of concrete and steel.

  1. A slanted wall that will be very difficult to climb. The authors of the project are Fisher Sand and Gravel. Cost: $365.
  2. Corrugated panels with a pipe on top. The authors of the project are WG Yates & Sons. The cost of the project is $458.
  3. Concrete panels and pipe on top. The authors of the project are WG Yates & Sons, the project cost is $453.
  4. Concrete base and lattice metal structure. The authors of the project are ELTA North America, the cost is $406.
  5. Concrete structure with a wide base. The authors of the project are Caddell Construction Co, the cost is $344.
  6. Concrete blocks on a metal base. The author of the project is Caddell Construction Co, the cost is $320.
  7. Metal lattice with spikes on top of concrete blocks. The author of the project is Texas Sterling Construction Co, the cost is $470.
  8. Metal columns and panels with a pipe on top of the wall. The author of the project is KWR Construction, the cost is $486.

In December, Donald Trump said he did not want to build a concrete structure. Instead, in his opinion, it is better to put beautifully designed steel panels.

And just before the shutdown, he tweeted an image of what a wall of steel panels would look like, which he said would be “absolutely effective and beautiful at the same time.”

Representatives of the Customs and Border Protection Service said that none of the wall prototypes submitted by the Trump administration met their technical requirements.

However, thanks to the creation of these prototypes, it was possible to obtain important data that will help determine the design, materials and construction in the future, the ministry said.

4. The number of detained migrants at the border with Mexico has dropped sharply

In his address to fellow citizens in early January, Trump said that the wall is needed to stop the growing humanitarian crisis on the country's southern border and improve the security situation there.

During a dispute with Representative Nancy Pelosi and Senator Chuck Schumer, Trump said that a lot of migrants are arriving in the United States, in fact, it is a stream.

However, statistics show that since 2000, the number of illegal attempts to cross the border with the United States has decreased markedly.

  • In 2000, the American border was illegally crossed by 1,6 million people, whereas in 2018, this number was less than 400 thousand.
  • In 2017, the first year of Trump's presidency, the number of migrants crossing the American border illegally was the lowest since 1971.

All representatives of the southern states in the Senate oppose the construction of the wall, they believe that its construction will not improve the security situation.

“I believe that building a concrete structure - from sea to sea - is the most expensive and the most inefficient way border security,” said Republican Rep. Will Hurd, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas' 23rd Congressional District.

5. However, the number of detentions and asylum claims increased from 2017 to 2018.

During the period from 2017 to 2018, the number of people detained at the border with Mexico increased by about 100 thousands. The number of asylum applications for the year increased by 16 thousand, or 43%.

Among those detained and applying for asylum are many families who fled violence in Central America. Many of them say they are afraid to return to their countries.

To obtain refugee status in the United States, foreigners must obtain permission to enter the country. However, those who have already arrived in the United States without having received such permission in advance can also apply for asylum already at the border with the United States.

Such requests are sent to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services. It can be assumed that the wall on the US-Mexico border is unlikely to stop migrants who are submitting such applications for asylum.

Фото: Depositphotos

6. Most illegal immigrants are migrants with expired visas

Although Trump claims that all the problems with illegal migration are due to the lack of a wall on the southern border, statistics show that the majority of illegal migrants are those who legally crossed the American border, but did not leave the country after their visa expired .

Countries whose citizens most often stay in the United States longer than the period indicated in the visa (2017 year):

  • Canada - 100 people
  • Mexico - more than 50 people
  • Brazil - about 40 people
  • China - more than 30 people
  • Venezuela - more than 30 people
  • Britain - more than 20 people
  • India - more than 20 people

According to the US Department of Homeland Security, 400, thousands of people who tried to illegally enter the US, were detained at the southern border last year.

At the same time, 700 thousand people who entered the USA quite legally did not leave the country when their visa expired.

7. The wall is unlikely to help fight drug smuggling in the US

Trump said 90% heroin gets into the US across the border with Mexico and that the wall will help fight drug trafficking.

In total, almost 2017 thousand kilograms of heroin were seized in the United States in 8, while 39% of this volume was seized at the border with Mexico, the Drug Enforcement Administration said.

Most of the drugs were seized at the San Diego checkpoint - 1073 kg, which is 59% more than in 2016.

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, most of the drugs enter the United States through official checkpoints. As a rule, smugglers transport the prohibited cargo in private cars or trucks.

On the territory where the wall is planned to be built, there are not so many attempts to smuggle drugs.

Read also on ForumDaily:

Vice President of the United States promised to build a wall on the border with Mexico until the end of the Trump presidency

Opinion: Why Trump has good chances for a second presidential term

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