New Border Wall Construction in New Mexico Smuggling Corridor

New Border Wall Construction

• 🏗️ Construction of 6 miles of new border wall is underway in southern New Mexico, specifically in a known drug and human smuggling corridor.
• 📍 This project is located near the Santa Teresa port of entry and features new 30-foot steel bollards.
• ⚠️ The area has seen migrants succumb to extreme temperatures, and criminal smugglers are known to use tools like bow cutters and blow torches to breach existing barriers.

Smuggling Tactics and Cartel Control

• 🔗 The Linia cartel controls the Mexican side of this border section and is known for using blow torches to cut through steel mesh, creating openings.
• 🚗 Smugglers often use pickup trucks with welding equipment to cut and repair the mesh, facilitating the movement of migrants from safe houses.

Border Security Initiatives

• 💡 The 2021 fence cutter initiative was launched by US Customs and Border Protection to prioritize the prosecution of individuals breaching the border.
• 🧱 The new 6 miles of wall will feature 6-inch hollowed square bollards that are partially filled with concrete, making them difficult to pierce.

Technology and Future Security

• 📡 Homeland Security Secretary Christy Gnome stated that the Trump administration plans to integrate surveillance technology onto the wall to reduce the need for manpower.
• 📈 The goal is to finish investment in technology around existing structures and complete new construction, utilizing latest technology to fight cartels.
• 🚁 A sheriff mentioned drones as a necessary next step to improve border security and add technology.

Apprehension Statistics

• 📉 The Trump administration reported a record low of approximately 6,000 apprehensions on the southwest border in June.