The border wall has been a controversial subject for years.
By Catholics for Catholics
For almost a century, all that separated the U.S. from Mexico was barbed wired. And in some areas and times, not even that.
But now, after Congress approved a huge incoming of monies, President Donald Trump’s administration is quickly erecting what it denotes as a “smart wall,” according to a story by Newsmax. It’s a mix of 30-foot-tall steel fencing and an assortment of sophisticated technology like sensors, cameras and towers permitting Border Patrol to survey the territory.
Still, the wall, which has been a controversial topic for years, is under heavy scrutiny for the billions of dollars being dedicated to it when border crossings are at their lowest in decades. The naysayers say the U.S. is militarizing the border as it increasingly deploys sophisticated surveillance technology to the area, impacting local communities.
“We are seeing a massive expansion of surveillance and surveillance technology across the borderlands,” said Ricky Garza, border policy counsel at the Southern Border Communities Coalition, an advocacy group. “The wall in all its forms is harmful to communities.”
Also, officials say the technology is paired to the physical wall and frees up agents for other tasks.
“It’s a smart wall. It’s not just a barrier,” Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott said during recent congressional testimony. “It maximizes the use of our most valuable resource, which is our agents.”
Markwayne Mullin, Homeland Security Secretary said recently that an initial part of the wall will be concluded by “this time next year.” Scott said his agency is putting up 6 miles of wall a week.
So far hundreds of miles had already been built before Trump returned to office. As of mid-June 2026, CBP has constructed another 74 miles and plans to build hundreds more. There is no wall planned for roughly 535 miles of the roughly 2,000-mile-long border, because rugged terrain already serves as a barrier. Ground sensors and towers will be used instead.
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