President Donald Trump plans to build 10 miles of border wall near San Diego points of entry after waiving environmental regulations, according to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
Noem declared the area near San Diego a place of high illegal entry, with almost a million illegal immigrants attempting to cross over those areas between 2021 and January of 2025.
The area is also a major zone where drugs come into the United States.
More than 2,465 pounds of marijuana, 9,873 pounds of cocaine, 565 pounds of heroin, 29,675 pounds of methamphetamine and 4,016 pounds of fentanyl were seized at the port of entry during the same time period.
The sector ranges from the Pacific Ocean east to Border Monument 231. Noem had to waive 30 laws to enable the construction.
Near the Tecate and Otay Mesa ports of entry, the 30-foot wall will have anti-climb features.
Part of the $46.5 billion appropriated by Congress for border wall construction through 2029 as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act will be used for the wall.
“President Trump is delivering on the mandate given by the American people to secure our southern border,” CBP Assistant Commissioner Hilton Beckham said.
Pro-immigration forces can't understand why Trump wants to build more of the border wall when immigration is at an all-time low due to Trump's strict policies.
“Border crossings are at historic lows, yet the Trump administration is declaring a bogus emergency,” The Center for Biological Diversity advocate Laiken Jordahl said.
But Trump is smart enough to know that he won't always be the one in charge.
If a Democrat gets elected as president or if Republicans lose a majority in Congress, the messaging could change and border encounters and crossings are likely to rise substantially.
Investing now for future prevention is the smart thing to do.
Democrats know it, and Trump does, too.
