About | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline



1 1 (January 3, 2020)

handle is hein.crs/govbhxx0001 and id is 1 raw text is: 









               Researh Sevice






Funding U.S.-Mexico Border Barrier

Construction: Current Issues



Updated January 3, 2020
The construction of barriers on the U.S.-Mexico borders to control unauthorized crossings has been a
matter of significant debate since President Donald Trump made construction of a border wall a key
element of his campaign for the presidency. This Insight provides a brief overview of the funding history
for these barriers and how the current administration is redirecting federal funds to support construction
of additional mileage.

Border Barriers Under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama
In the decade prior to President Trump's election, Congress had appropriated almost $2.5 billion to U.S.
Customs and Border Protection (CBP), a component of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), to
construct more than 650 miles of primary barriers along the southwest border. This includes
approximately 350 miles of primary barriers designed to restrict the flow of pedestrians and
approximately 300 miles of primary barriers to restrict the flow of vehicles in areas where unauthorized
border crossing on foot was less of a concern. Funding for construction of border barriers in this period
largely ended in FY2011.

Border Barriers Under President Trump
Shortly after his inauguration in January 2017, President Trump signed an Executive Order that called for
the construction of a border wall. In March, the President submitted a supplemental appropriations request
for FY2017, which included almost $1 billion to begin planning and construction. (At the time, annual
appropriations requested for FY2017 by the Obama Administration had yet to be resolved by Congress.)
In response to this and subsequent requests from the Trump Administration totaling more than $8.27
billion through FY2019, Congress has provided almost $3.1 billion for border barrier construction
through DHS appropriations. Funding has been provided with conditions that the barriers are built in
certain border patrol sectors and meet certain design requirements. Most of this funding has been used to
replace or upgrade existing miles of primary border barriers. CBP indicated in a November 2019 press
statement that funding has been identified to construct approximately 509 miles of border wall system,
which includes approximately 110 miles of new construction where no barriers exist within CBP's Rio
Grande Valley sector.
                                                               Congressional Research Service
                                                                 https://crsreports.congress.gov
                                                                                     IN11193

CRS  NStGHT
Prepaimed for Mernbei-s and
Committees 4 o.  C- --q .. . . . . . . . ...----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------