New details of requirements for border wall released
This week, President Trump sent a budget proposal to congress that included a $2.6 billion down payment for the border wall.
ABC-7 also learned new details on requirements for the wall requested by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
The contract notices were posted to a government website late Friday. The government hasn’t said when the wall will be built but the notices suggest some of the wall can replace existing fencing.
Residents in Sunland Park can’t overlook the massive border wall that already sits in their backyard
“I’ve been living here 30 years,” said Robert Marshall.
Marshall says he lived in Sunland before the border wall went up and was no stranger to seeing undocumented immigrants crossing.
“They used to come over every day,” Marshall said.
Marshall said he was glad to see the border wall go up.
“It helps protect us. You never know how the people are when they cross over,” Marshall said.
Trump proposed a wall in 2016, and now, as president, he’s pushing to make it happen.
The wall in most areas currently is about 20 feet tall.
Newly released details of requirements give a better idea of what the Trump administration is looking for.
The proposals require the border wall to be at least 30 feet tall.
The wall must be made of solid concrete or a see-through structure for some areas.
The wall must be sunk 6 feet into the ground.
The notice also says the wall must be built in such a way that it would take an hour to cut through with a sledgehammer, car jack, pick axe, chisel, battery-operated impact tools, cutting tools or torch.
“The way it is now it’s helped a lot,” Marshall said.
For some like Marshall the newly proposed wall may be a bit too much and costly.
The president says it will cost about $12 billion but U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly estimated the cost at $21 billion.
“I think it will cost too much and I want to know where he is going to come up with the money,” Marshall said.
The government will award a contract based on 30 foot-wide sample walls that are to be built in San Diego.
The proposals are due March 29.
