President Trump still pushes for the construction of a U.S.-Mexico border wall even though the cost, which is estimated to be over $15 billion, and the current state of historically low border apprehensions have led border experts to question its necessity. Despite redirecting funds from the Department of Defense and increasing tariffs, there is still a funding gap that needs to be resolved. In a Senate vote, Democrats declared that funds approved for military construction could not be used to finance the wall. In response, the Trump administration has said that it will take “bold executive action” if Congress fails to allocate billions of dollars or if Washington state, El Paso County and other groups prevail in court challenges to wall funding. Trump’s promise to build a border wall has become a signature campaign pledge and a hallmark of his 2020 reelection campaign. Meanwhile, a bird species, the endangered California gnatcatcher, lives in the Presidio of San Francisco and its potential habitat could be lost to a new barrier, which would fragment the animals’ territory, creating more predators and many disturbances. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senator Dianne Feinstein have urged military officials to maintain existing walls and fencing along the border between San Diego and El Paso and to focus on what they deem “mission-critical infrastructure” and other modern improvement techniques, including technology and aerial surveillance, manpower and a smarter, judicious approach to border control.
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