Trump's $46 Billion 'Smart Wall' Advances on the US-Mexico Border
· Telemundo McAllen (KTLM)
For decades, the only thing separating the United States from Mexico was a barbed-wire fence. Now, following a massive injection of funds from Congress, President Donald Trump's administration is rapidly constructing what it has dubbed a 'smart wall,' a combination of 30-foot-high steel fences and a series of sophisticated technologies such as sensors, cameras, and towers that allow the Border Patrol to monitor the area. The wall is under intense scrutiny due to the billions of dollars being allocated to it at a time when border crossings are at their lowest level in decades. Critics argue that the United States is militarizing the border by deploying increasingly sophisticated surveillance technology in the area, which impacts local communities. 'We are seeing a huge expansion of surveillance and surveillance technology throughout the border region,' said Ricky Garza, border policy advisor for the advocacy group Southern Border Communities Coalition. 'The wall, in all its forms, is harmful to communities.' Authorities point out that the technology complements the physical wall and frees agents to perform other tasks. 'It's a smart wall. It's not just a barrier,' said Rodney Scott, commissioner of Customs and Border Protection (CBP), during recent testimony before Congress. 'It maximizes the use of our most valuable resource, which is our agents.'
AI summary · Source: Telemundo McAllen (KTLM) →
