Details of the plan revealed on Friday would fund 316 miles of new barriers and bolster an additional 407 miles of existing barriers, adding up to a significant expansion of walls and fencing along the southwestern border.
US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), a branch of homeland security, submitted the details to Congress. Democrats and Republicans in Washington are gearing up for a fraught battle over the proposed wall and the status of young undocumented migrants, two issues that have become entangled and risk triggering a government shutdown on 20 January if no deal is reached.
Donald Trump electrified supporters during the 2016 election by promising to build a “big, beautiful wall” along the 2000 mile border with Mexico to keep out criminals and undocumented immigrants.
Currently there are about 650 miles of man-made physical barriers. CBP relies on sensors, cameras, patrols and natural barriers, such as rivers, to control the rest.
