U.S. awards $4.5 billion in border wall contracts for 230 miles of barriers
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced Friday that the federal government has awarded 10 construction contracts worth $4.5 billion to extend barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border by 230 miles.
The projects will expand the Smart Wall border security system, which combines steel barriers, waterborne barriers, patrol roads, lighting, cameras, and advanced detection technology to enhance border control capabilities, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
Seven of the contracts, awarded in September, went to BCCG Joint Venture, DHS and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said.
“The Smart Wall means more miles of barriers, more technology, and more capability for our agents on the ground. This is how you take control of the border,” said CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott.
DHS Secretary Kristin Noem issued two waivers—covering nine miles in the San Diego Sector and about 30 miles in New Mexico’s El Paso Sector—to expedite construction by bypassing certain bureaucratic requirements. Such waivers are often used to ease environmental or regulatory restrictions.
The new contracts mark a significant expansion of the border security system, which has faced both political debate and scrutiny over environmental and legal implications.
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