The Trump administration has a blunt message for state and local officials trying to prevent construction of a wall and other security measures along the 2,000-mile southern border: Resistance is futile. Driving the news: President Trump's envoys recently met privately with officials from Texas border counties where residents have pushed back against construction, saying the plans are unnecessary in rugged landscapes with few immigrant crossings and that they'd harm the environment. - The officials were told bluntly at the closed-door meeting with Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott that there would be no negotiating. - The government is now pushing ahead with plans to build hundreds more miles of the 30-foot,…
The Trump administration temporarily paused border wall construction at Big Bend National Park in Texas while U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott visits the site, Scott announced Monday. Why it matters: The wall's construction inside the national park has been the subject of bipartisan pushback and criticism that the job has been rushed, and is damaging to the environment. What they're saying: "Last night, I put a pause on all activity in that park as far as construction goes till I can get down there and do a personal evaluation, talk to some stakeholders, talk to some local law enforcement in that area," Scott said in a video posted to X. - "More to follow this week." This is a breaking news story and will be…
The closer you look at Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin's declaration that the border wall will be finished by this time next year, the harder it is to make the numbers work. Why it matters: DHS has only completed 10% of its planned primary wall . It will have to navigate construction lawsuits, negotiate with (or sue) private citizens for land access and finalize contracts and designs — all while minimizing the delays that slow big construction projects. - There are about 698 miles of primary border wall left to build, according to a Customs and Border Protection spokesperson, along with public agency data that tracks wall construction from CBP and the Department of War. The big picture: The pace would need to increase to…
REDFORD, Texas — The Trump administration delivered a blunt message to angry landowners at a rare in-person meeting on Tuesday: - Work with us on the border wall , or we'll build it anyway. Why it matters: The Trump administration's pressure to show progress on border wall mileage in west Texas is leading to rushed and sloppy work that's infuriating local residents, ranchers and the tourism industry. - Local residents told Axios they've heard that the goal is to finish construction as soon as December 2027. - Since the start of the year, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been mailing out packages — sometimes with inaccurate survey lines or owner information — offering people between $1,000 and $5,000 for initial access,…