At $21.6 Billion, Internal DHS Report Shows Border Wall Cost Roughly Double What Trump Claimed

An internal report from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security seen by Reuters puts the cost for President Donald Trump’s proposed “wall” along the U.S.-Mexico border at up to $21.6 billion, far higher than the estimates put forth by Trump or Republican leadership.

Click Here: camiseta seleccion argentina

Trump, who signed on Jan. 25 an executive order to begin the wall, has claimed it would cost $12 billion. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan estimated the costs at between $12 and $15 billion. Analysts, however, have argued the costs would be far higher.

Trump also said that Mexico would pay for it; the country made clear that it wouldn’t.  And it appears the costs will likely be shouldered, at least in part, by U.S. taxpayers. 

The wire service reports: “The report is expected to be presented to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary John Kelly in coming days, although the administration will not necessarily take actions it recommends.”

According to the report, there would be three construction phases spanning 3.5 years, with the first to begin in September. The divider would be a combination of walls and fences to span the roughly 1,250 miles (2,000 km.) not already covered by the 654 miles (1,046 km.) of barriers already in place.

Reuters writes that the report “does not account for major physical barriers, like mountains, in areas where it would not be feasible to build,” and adds that the U.S. government would need to secure eminent domain and environmental waivers as well as adhere to requirements laid out by the U.S.-Mexico International Boundary and Water Commission.