Construction begins here to replace part of border fence
U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced on Friday that work is underway to replace 26 miles of aging and outdated primary fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border in the Border Patrol’s Yuma Sector, which has seen huge increases in the number of migrant families illegally crossing into the country.
Agent Jose Garibay, of the Yuma Sector Public Affairs Office, explained that the project consists of crews removing a segment of the 14-foot-tall corrugated metal fences built from Vietnam War-era landing mats that is east of the San Luis port of entry, and installing 30-foottall bollard-style fencing.
Bollards are upright steel posts, with Garibay saying
that it will be high enough to discourage migrants from scaling over it, and has reinforced concrete footers at the base of the bollards to prevent smugglers from burrowing underneath it.
“It is a lot better than what we have out there now,” Garibay said. “It will allow for a lot more situational awareness because agents will be able to see what’s across the border.”
The U.S. Army awarded Barnard Construction Co. of Bozeman, Montana the contract to build the fence. Garibay said new fence is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year. Construction actually began earlier this month.
In the past few months, Yuma Sector Border Patrol has released numerous videos and photos of groups of migrants scaling old antiquated fencing in San Luis using ladders, or burrowing under it. In January, 376 migrants, the largest group ever detected, dug holes in the sand under the fence to enter the country.
The 26-mile segment of fencing in the Yuma Sector is the first of six segments of older fencing along Arizona’s 372-mile-long border to be replaced this year so far. Garibay added that more projects are likely to be announced in the coming months.
The southern border is nearly 2,000 miles long and already has about 650 miles of different types of barriers, including short vehicle barricades and tall, steel fences.
Most of the fencing was built during the administration of then President George W. Bush, and there have been updates and maintenance throughout other administrations.