CONSTRUCTION IS WRAPPING UP ON THE BORDER WALL PROTOTYPES THAT WE TOLD YOU ABOUT A FEW WEEKS AGO. ENGINEERS HAVE BEEN TESTING OUT
DIFFERENT OPTIONS FOR THE WALL THAT PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP WANTS TO BUILD BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND MEXICO.
REPORTER MIGUEL MARQUEZ HAS AN UPDATE ON IT FOR US.
MIGUEL: PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID HE WANTED A "BIG FAT BEAUTIFUL WALL".... THESE ARE HIS 30 BY 30 FOOT OPTIONS. ONE OF THESE 8 CONTESTANTS COULD SOON STRETCH 2000 MILES ACROSS THE BORDER?
CARLOS DIAS/CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION: I NEED TO CLARIFY. BEFORE WE SPEAK A LITTLE CLEARLY// THERE'S A CHANCE THAT ONE OF THEM WILL BE
SELECTED, 8 OF THEM GET SELECTED OR A MIX OF THEIR CHARACTERISTICS GET SELECTED FOR CONSTRUCTION.
MIGUEL: THEY SIT LIKE GIANT TOMBSTONES - JUST EAST OF SAN DIEGO IN THE NO MAN'S LAND RIGHT ON THE US MEXICO BORDER. THE PRESIDENT HAS
CONSISTENTLY SAID A WALL WILL BE BUILT ALONG THE ENTIRE BORDER HE SAYS 2000 MILES OF BORDER WALL. YOU SAY, WE'LL PUT IT UP WHERE WE NEED
TO?
CARLOS DIAS/CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION: THERE WAS TESTIMONY FROM THE FORMER CHIEF OF HOMELAND SECURITY JOHN KELLY WHO SAID YOU WON'T
SEE A WALL FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA. WE WILL PUT THE WALL WHERE IT MAKES SENSE.
MIGUEL: CUSTOMS AND BORDER PATROL DEFERRING TO THE SAME JOHN KELLY WHO IS NOW THE PRESIDENT'S CHIEF OF STAFF. THE COST FOR JUST THESE TEST
WALLS... 20 MILLION DOLLARS... BUILDING ANY ONE OF THEM ACROSS THE ENTIRE 2000 MILE BORDER COULD COST MORE THAN 20 BILLION DOLLARS. BEYOND THIS, WHETHER THE 20 BILLION OR MORE TO CONSTRUCT THE ENTIRE WALL IS AN ISSUE FOR ANOTHER DAY?
CARLOS DIAS/CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION: RIGHT NOW OUR FOCUS IS TO COMPLETE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PROTOTYPES.
MIGUEL: THOSE PROTOTYPES - THE PRESIDENT'S CONTESTANTS FOR THE BIG BEAUTIFUL WALL - ARE FINISHED. IT'LL NOW TAKE A MONTH FOR THE CEMENT TO
CURE AND THE WALLS TO SETTLE BEFORE THEY'RE TESTED. AND THEY'LL BE PUT TO IT. TO SEE IF THEY CAN BE CLIMBED, SCALED DUG UNDER OR BREACHED.
YOU WILL TEST THESE WALLS TO THEIR MAXIMUM?
CARLOS DIAS/CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION: CORRECT.
MIGUEL: ON THE MEXICAN SIDE OF THE BORDER... BUILDING OF THE PROTOTYPES MET WITH DISBELIEF.
MIGUEL: WHEN YOU SEE THESE WHAT DO THEY REPRESENT TO YOU?
VICTOR CLARK-ALFARO: FOR OUR COUNTRY WE THINK IT'S AN INSULT.
MIGUEL: VICTOR CLARK ALFARO - A MEXICAN CITIZEN WHO TEACHES BORDER ISSUES AT SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY SAYS A THIRTY FOOT WALL WOULD DETER
MIGRANTS BUT NOT EVERYTHING. WOULD A THIRTY FOOT WALL 2000 MILES LONG STOP DRUGS FROM COMING INTO
THE US?
VICTOR CLARK-ALFARO: DRUGS COME INTO THE US IN DIFFERENT WAYS. BY PORT OF ENTRIES BY SEA BY LAND.
MIGUEL:…AND TUNNELS. LOTS OF THEM. IF WE COULD TAKE A PICTURE OF THE LAND OF THE GROUND UNDERNEATH US WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE?
VICTOR CLARK-ALFARO: WELL A LOT OF TUNNELS OBVIOUSLY. PROBABLY IN THIS MOMENT SOMEBODY IS BUILDING A TUNNEL.
MIGUEL: AT LEAST SOME OF THESE WALLS COME WITH TUNNEL DETERRENCE TOO. BIG BEAUTIFUL WALLS ABOVE AND BELOW GROUND.
Find Out More
Website Article & Images: Business Insider, The Trump Administration Just Unveiled 8 Prototypes For The Border Wall | See what they look like
Website Article & Video: Arizona PBS, Cronkite News, Children Say Goodbye To Mural They Painted On Border Fence | For six years, kids painted border walls, but they had to be torn down.
Magazine Article: INFOhio, Explora, Junior Scholastic, Walled Off? As The United States Moves Forward With Plans To Build A Wall Along Its Southern Border, Mexico Is Pushing Back, March 13, 2017. | What will happen to the relationship between the two countries? May need to sign in.