As of February 4, 2026, approximately 30 miles of new border wall have been completed since the start of the second Trump administration in January 2025. This construction is part of a larger plan to wall off 1,422 miles along the U.S.-Mexico boundary.
Washington Office on Latin America | WOLA
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Current Construction Progress (2025–2026)
Total Completed (Recent): Roughly 30 miles of "Smart Wall" have been finished since early 2025.
Active Federal Contracts: In September 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) awarded 10 contracts totaling $4.5 billion to build 230 miles of land and waterborne barriers.
Specific Recent Projects:
New Mexico: Construction began on 7 miles of secondary wall to reinforce existing fencing.
Arizona: Contracts for 27 miles of new wall in Santa Cruz County were awarded in June 2025.
Texas (State-led): The Texas Facilities Commission has completed 66.4 miles of state-funded wall as of June 2025, though the program was recently defunded as the state looks to federal efforts to take over.
Texas Facilities Commission (.gov)
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Historical Context (2017–2021)
During the first Trump administration, a total of 458 miles of barrier were built. However, the definition of "new" is often debated:
BBC
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New Primary Wall: Only about 47 to 52 miles were built in locations where no barrier previously existed.
Replacement Wall: The vast majority (roughly 351 miles) replaced older, dilapidated, or smaller fences, such as vehicle barriers.
Secondary Wall: Approximately 33 miles were new secondary layers added behind existing primary barriers.
BBC
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Definitions and Modern Features
Modern construction often follows the "Smart Wall" model, which integrates:
Physical Barriers: 18- to 30-foot steel bollard fencing.
Waterborne Systems: Buoy barriers in the Rio Grande.
Technology: Cameras, lights, patrol roads, and advanced detection sensors.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (.gov)
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