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The United States plans to complete the long-promised southern border wall by late 2027, according to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Rodney Scott.
Speaking at the Centre for Immigration Studies event in Washington on Tuesday, Scott outlined the scope and timeline of the extensive project, which spans from San Diego to the Gulf of Mexico.
“The primary border wall will be done by the end of 2027,” Scott said, noting that the wall will not extend to certain areas deemed unnecessary, such as Big Bend National Park, where steep cliffs and remote terrain make construction impractical.
“There’s a couple of gaps. The only places we’re not building a border wall is places where we’ve made a conscious decision that we don’t need it,” he added.
The barrier, constructed from reinforced metal beams, is designed to curb illegal immigration and narcotics trafficking from Mexico, challenges that have reportedly declined according to official indicators. The project will be supplemented with electronic surveillance and other security technology, expected to be installed by mid-2028.
Scott also highlighted the limitations of a purely physical barrier, pointing to tunnels, drones, and other methods used to circumvent patrols.
“We’d see the drones flying along the Rio Grande River watching and videotaping where all our guys are. That is their business model, and drones definitely make it easier,” he said. “They’re also smuggling narcotics across with drones.”
Along the more than 1,200-mile stretch of the Rio Grande, secondary barriers, water barriers, and technological systems will complement the main wall, ensuring comprehensive coverage in high-traffic areas while recognising the practical constraints of the terrain.
The border wall remains a central element of US immigration policy, balancing enforcement with logistical realities and ongoing adaptations to evolving smuggling tactics.
