Trump budget to include $3 billion for border wall - official

By Steve Holland

 

U.S. President Donald Trump attends the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, U.S. February 8, 2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's budget proposal to be unveiled on Monday will include a request for $3 billion as a down payment on building a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico, a senior administration official said on Thursday.

 

The official, who briefed a small group of reporters on condition of anonymity, said the money would go toward purchasing private land in the Rio Grande Valley in south Texas and advance purchases of steel.

 

The administration hopes to build 60 miles (96 km) of new steel bollard fencing along the border with 2018 funding and an additional 64 miles (103 km) with 2019 funding.

 

The $3 billion will be on top of this year's $14 billion request for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency.

 

The border wall was a signature issue for Trump in his 2016 presidential election campaign. He pledged that Mexico would pay for the wall, which the Mexican government has insisted it will not do.

 

Democrats sharply oppose the wall, which Trump has said is aimed at keeping out illegal immigrants and drug smugglers.

 

The new fencing would be constructed in areas known to be used by migrants crossing into the United States, the official said.

 

Wall funding has been caught up in a debate over how to protect young "Dreamers," people who were brought to the country illegally as children.

 

Trump has offered to give the Dreamers protection from deportation and a pathway to citizenship over 10 to 12 years, in exchange for $25 billion in wall funding and tightened restrictions on legal immigration, but Democrats have balked at the terms.

 

(Reporting by Steve Holland; Editing by Peter Cooney)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-02-09

American taxpayers footing the bill!!!   This media release must be wrong as tRump's number 1 campaign promise was Mexico would happily fund the wall.

$3 billion for 60 miles of wall, $50 million per mile, or $9470 per foot.  The wall won't stop people who have crossed jungles, rivers, deserts and mountains to get to the border.

 

Any questions?

3 minutes ago, heybruce said:

$3 billion for 60 miles of wall, $50 million per mile, or $9470 per foot.  The wall won't stop people who have crossed jungles, rivers, deserts and mountains to get to the border.

 

Any questions?

Although the wall will stop Mexicans who have been deported from coming back

24 minutes ago, sanemax said:

Although the wall will stop Mexicans who have been deported from coming back

"Fixed fortifications are monuments to the stupidity of man"  General George Patton.

 

The wall will be less effective stopping experienced border crossers than inexperienced border crossers.

13 minutes ago, heybruce said:

"Fixed fortifications are monuments to the stupidity of man"  General George Patton.

 

The wall will be less effective stopping experienced border crossers than inexperienced border crossers.

How will an experienced border crosser get over the wall ?

5 minutes ago, sanemax said:

How will an experienced border crosser get over the wall ?

Over it, under it, through it or, most likely, around it.  They will study the border and its security on their side, use contacts on the other side of the border to get information on that side, and choose an approach.

 

Believe it or not, people get past walls all the time.  If you would let a wall keep you from a better job and life, you're lacking ambition.  Border crossers don't lack ambition.

 

That $3 billion can be better spent elsewhere.

14 minutes ago, heybruce said:

Over it, under it, through it or, most likely, around it. 

I would have thought that they would have measures in place to stop people going around it, through it or over it

15 minutes ago, sanemax said:

I would have thought that they would have measures in place to stop people going around it, through it or over it

They would, but motivated people are very creative and persistent. The wall itself guarantees nothing.

6 minutes ago, mikebike said:

They would, but motivated people are very creative and persistent. The wall itself guarantees nothing.

You'd better tell Donald that there would be no point in building the wall then 

3 minutes ago, sanemax said:

You'd better tell Donald that there would be no point in building the wall then 

I think G. Kelly already did...

The fact is (not that the Trump base cares about facts) is that a vast majority of illegals enter the US legally by airplane or other traditional method. They only become illegal once they overstay.

 

How will the wall prevent this?

 

Just a con job to fire up his ignorant base. They ate it up, hook line and sinker.

22 minutes ago, sanemax said:

You'd better tell Donald that there would be no point in building the wall then 

Many, many people have told Donald that.  It's like talking to...a wall.

 

4 hours ago, heybruce said:

$3 billion for 60 miles of wall, $50 million per mile, or $9470 per foot.  The wall won't stop people who have crossed jungles, rivers, deserts and mountains to get to the border.

 

Any questions?

No questions.....you are just dead wrong that's all.

4 hours ago, heybruce said:

$3 billion for 60 miles of wall, $50 million per mile, or $9470 per foot.  The wall won't stop people who have crossed jungles, rivers, deserts and mountains to get to the border.

 

Any questions?

Cheap at half the price! Git er done Donald!

Get moving, we want the wall. Far less cost than handfeeding all the illegals squatting here now. Once finished, then ICE can ramp up operations and sweep them out, dreamers and all.

3 hours ago, sanemax said:

How will an experienced border crosser get over the wall ?

in similar ways to how the east German border runners got past the Berlin wall before it fell 

22 hours ago, jackh said:

No questions.....you are just dead wrong that's all.

The math is correct, check it if you are clever enough.

22 hours ago, jackh said:

Cheap at half the price! Git er done Donald!

$3 billion for a wall that won't accomplish anything isn't cheap.  The money can be better used elsewhere.

22 hours ago, jackh said:

Get moving, we want the wall. Far less cost than handfeeding all the illegals squatting here now. Once finished, then ICE can ramp up operations and sweep them out, dreamers and all.

Do you have any sources for your claim "Far less cost than handfeeding all the illegals squatting here now."?  Credible sources, not right-wing propaganda websites.

Edited February 10, 20188 yr by heybruce

Watch the land owners either put in regulatory roadblocks to delay the wall given the inconvenience it causes them, not to mention the price rises you’ll see for the land, now that the money is available. 

 

The only monumental thing thing about this wall you’ll see is the massive waste of public funds it becomes from the worlds greatest business man (apparently). 

 

Now I’m sure to that absolutely no one in this administration has a conflict of interest when it comes to being land owners. Absolutely none I am sure. 

 

 

Did he not say he would make Mexico pay for the wall???

 

He's cooking the books.   

So a wall costs USD 3 billion?

Wonder what the "defense" budget of USD 700 billion/yearly can do - considering that there is no conflict anywhere along the US borders - go figure!