Completed Projects:
Under Construction:
Overview:
The San Diego Sector wall construction is one of Border Patrol’s top priority projects. Wall in this area was built in the 1990s out of recycled scraps of metal and old landing mat steel plates left over from the Vietnam era. These eight- to-10 feet high wall was intended to aid in re-establishing the border and aided in preventing both pedestrian and vehicle crossings. Although the existing wall was proven effective, the cross-border threat has increased and the several decades old corrugated steel landing mat is in need of replacement with a higher performing design.
The U.S. Border Patrol’s San Diego Sector (SDC) continues to experience a high number of arrests resulting from illegal entries and drug smuggling. In fiscal year 2017, SDC, which covers a mere 60 miles of land border with Mexico, apprehended 26,086 illegal aliens and seized 10,985 pounds of marijuana, 2,903 pounds of cocaine, 4,123 pounds of methamphetamine, and 5,707 ounces of heroin. During that same fiscal year, there were also 83 assaults against SDC Border Patrol agents.
Leadership within SDC will collaborate with local and state authorities to address any issues that may occur during the border-wall construction period. As in the past, the Border Patrol will continue to work diligently with supporting agencies to ensure its presence minimally disturbs the surrounding environment and habitat. The overall project should have minimal impact to the public and their daily activities.
Border Patrol agent James Nielsen stands near the original Vietnam-era landing-mat border fence near Chula Vista, Calif. Credit: NPR