TIL Desk/World/San Diego/ The Trump administration has proposed spending USD 18 billion over 10 years to significantly extend the border wall with Mexico, providing one of its most detailed blueprints of how the president hopes to carry out a signature campaign pledge.
The proposal by Customs and Border Protection calls for 316 miles (505 kilometres) of additional barrier by September 2027, bringing total coverage to 970 miles (1,552 kilometres), or nearly half the border, according to a U.S. official with direct knowledge of the matter.
It also calls for 407 miles (651 kilometres) of replacement or secondary fencing, said the official, on the condition of anonymity because the plan has not been made public.
Trump has promised “a big, beautiful wall” with Mexico as a centerpiece of his presidency but offered few details of where it would be built, when and at what cost.
His administration asked for USD 1.6 billion this year to build or replace 74 miles (118 kilometres) of fencing in Texas and California, and officials have said they also will seek USD 1.6 billion next year.
The 10-year plan, first reported by The Wall Street Journal, resulted from discussions with senators who asked the agency what it would take to secure the border, the official said.
