WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is accelerating construction of its high‑tech “Smart Wall” along the U.S.-Mexico border, announcing five new contracts worth three point three billion dollars to extend the barrier through Texas and Arizona. The latest awards bring total spending on the project to eight billion dollars, underscoring the White House’s determination to deliver on one of its most controversial promises.
When complete, officials say the system will span 1,418 miles of primary wall, 536 miles of waterborne barriers, and 708 miles of secondary fencing. Remote stretches of the border deemed too rugged for physical barriers will be covered by detection technology. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott called the project “an important tool” for agents, insisting that securing the border is critical to keeping communities safe and ensuring immigration laws function as intended.
The Smart Wall is more than steel bollards. It includes roads, cameras, lighting, sensors, and waterborne defenses, designed to detect and deter crossings in areas where traditional walls fall short. The new contracts will add 97 miles of primary wall, 19 miles of secondary fencing, and 66 miles of waterborne barriers, plus 149 miles of detection technology around existing structures. Funding comes from the Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a spending package that has become the backbone of Trump’s border agenda. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has issued nine waivers to fast‑track construction, bypassing environmental and regulatory hurdles.
Reaction was swift. Immigration advocates condemned the expansion, arguing billions could be better spent on asylum processing and humanitarian aid. “Walls don’t solve the crisis — they just push migrants into more dangerous terrain,” said Maria Lopez of Border Rights Watch. Environmental groups also voiced alarm, warning of damage to fragile desert ecosystems and river habitats. “Fast‑tracking construction ignores the long‑term costs to wildlife and water systems,” said Sierra Green of the Southwest Environmental Alliance.
Border state officials, however, welcomed the contracts, citing cartel violence and drug trafficking. “Technology plus barriers give our communities a fighting chance,” said Sheriff Tom Alvarez of Hidalgo County, Texas. Political analysts noted the timing, saying the wall remains a potent symbol for Trump’s base. “It’s less about miles of steel and more about messaging — proof of promises kept,” said Georgetown professor Alan Richards.
For Trump, the Smart Wall is both a security project and a political weapon. With contracts signed and construction racing ahead, the administration is betting that a fortified border will resonate far beyond Texas and Arizona — and into the next election cycle.
