Border wall construction surges ahead as illegal crossings plummet to historic lows

Arizona and Texas are expected to have more of the border wall constructed following recent actions from the federal government.

In the Grand Canyon State, U.S. Customs and Border Protection gave Fisher Sand & Gravel Co. over $300 million to build 27 miles of the wall in the Tucson Sector, which was a hotbed of illegal crossings during the Biden administration. The contractor was used throughout Trump’s first term in office.

Specifically, the development will be in Santa Cruz County – a largely rural county that includes Nogales, and the funds were already allocated in the CBP’s 2021 budget, according to CBP. While Biden was in office, many border wall contracts were scrapped, leading to materials left sitting at the border, including in the Tucson Sector.

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Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has taken multiple steps to speed up border wall construction in areas where there are gaps in Arizona, California, and Texas, mostly through granting environmental waivers to avoid "administrative delays."

The Wednesday announcement noted that a fifth waiver was signed off by the secretary, which will be used for 17 miles of wall in Texas’s Rio Grande Valley Sector.

Earlier this month, DHS cleared the way for 36 miles in wall development in Arizona and New Mexico, including in the Tucson, El Paso, and Yuma Sectors. In addition, the Golden State is also expected to have further wall construction with environmental waivers being cleared earlier this year.

"We applaud President Trump's commitment to border security, and we look forward to the completion of the wall across the entire southern border," Yuma County Supervisor Jonathan Lines said at the time.

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"The border crisis is not yet over, and our federal government must continue to equip the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents with the tools, technologies, and resources necessary to provide adequate national security to keep America safe," Lines continued.

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Opponents of wall construction have long cited environmental concerns, such as a risk to wildlife. Blue states, as well as advocacy groups like the Sierra Club and the American Civil Liberties Union, have sued the federal government in the recent past over the wall.

Meanwhile, the southern border has been quiet since President Donald Trump took office in January.

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In May, zero individuals who crossed illegally were released into the U.S. interior, compared with 62,000 last year, according to CBP. Migrant encounters have also taken a significant tumble, with just under 9,000 encounters last month compared with nearly 118,000 last year.

"Under the leadership of this administration, CBP has received historic support resulting in another 93% decrease in illegal crossings along the southwest border this month when compared with last year," Pete Flores, Acting Commissioner of CBP, said in a statement. "Border numbers continue to trend at historic lows, reinforcing the sustained success of our enforcement efforts in securing the homeland and protecting American communities."