US Government To Spend $167 Million Building Eight More Miles Of Border Wall In Texas
The U.S. government’s quest to build its border wall continues upon the announcement of a $167 million contract that has been awarded to add an additional eight miles to the wall in south Texas, according to a report from Business Insider.
The announcement came on Wednesday from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Construction of the eight-mile section will begin in February. Customs and Border Protection had previously announced a $145 million contract for six miles worth of border wall in the Rio Grande Valley in southern Texas.
The winner of both of those contracts was Galveston, Texas-based construction firm SLSCO.
Customs and Border Protection revealed some details of the new portion of the border wall, which includes the installation of fence posts north of the Rio Grande river, which divides the borders of the United States and Mexico in Texas. There are also plans to add lighting and patrol roads, as well as clearing vegetation.
Environmental advocates have voiced their concerns over the latest construction announcement, citing the damage that will be caused to sensitive areas as well as the risk to wildlife.
President Donald Trump has made the border wall one of the priorities of his administration, after campaigning heavily on it during his 2016 presidential campaign. Trump also included requiring Mexico to pay for the wall a part of its construction.
NEW TODAY….The U.S. government has awarded a $167 million contract to build 8 miles of border wall in South Texas. U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced the contract Wednesday.
>>https://t.co/PUeeleNaii#rgv #Borderwall pic.twitter.com/qmhZbbymbf— CBS 4 News (@cbs4rgv) November 14, 2018
As the border wall has become synonymous with the Trump administration, supporters of the president have created a toy in its name just in time for the holiday season. Dezeen reports that the conservative retailer has announced a Lego-style construction kit for the border wall, which has already come under fire for what detractors have described as a racist rip-off.
The 101-piece Build the Wall Starter Kit allows its owners to construct their own personal border wall to place along the border, even including a stern-looking Trump character wearing a hard hat.
Keep and Bear, an online retailer that offers a full range of Trump-themed items and uses the tagline “one amendment to protect them all,” produced the item which bears more than a glancing resemblance to the iconic Lego line, complete with a logo that mimics the style of the Lego logo, replaced with “MAGA.”
The packaging also contains an image of a Lego-style character dressed in a sombrero and poncho while holding maracas and standing in front of a Mayan temple. While the product description is rather vague, it does include a reference of the migrant caravan making its way from Central America to the United States’ border.
The description reads, “A mob of 10,000 Central American migrants is marching through Mexico and heading toward El Paso, Texas. Mexican border agents attempted to stop them at the Mexican border, but to no avail. We understand why they want to flee Honduras and live and work in America. After all, we are the greatest nation on earth. In the interest of national security, however, we cannot allow just anyone and everyone to cross our borders. While there are good people attempting to enter our nation, there are also gangs, criminals, and terrorists. Everyone who wants to enter our country must enter legally for the safety of all. The wall must be built. The wall will keep America safe and strong. Only then will we be able to help those in need.”
