As your article points out, this is all replacement and not new wall.

Price is atrocious.. the reason I oppose the wall. but even at millions of dollars per mile, it seem to pale at the trillions that have been added to our debt in this time of great economic progress..

A time when lowering that deficit and the debt would be a normal thing to do..

One thing I did expect with the orange one elected was at least an attempt at controlling the national dept. which is going to bring us near a match with the USSR of old when they ceased to exist..

and then what will we do?

A small part from you linked article as it is also a concern of mine as well.

https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/06/us-mexico-border-wall-being-built-slowly/#slide-1

Neb., is putting up a 30-foot high “bollard-style wall” to replace 2.25 miles of wall built in the 1990s out of recycled scraps of metal and steel plates. (The bollard style uses bars, so that border patrol officers can see through to the other side.)

When construction began, the agency stated, “Although the existing wall has proven effective at deterring unlawful cross border activity, smuggling organizations damaged and breached this outdated version of a border wall several hundred times during the last two years, resulting in costly repairs.” When construction began, David Kim, assistant chief patrol agent for the Border Patrol’s El Centro sector, emphasized to local media that the construction was not tied to any particular immigration debate in Washington. It was, he said, a “local tactical infrastructure project that was planned for quite some time.”

This wall project, estimated to cost about $18 million, is approaching completion, with roughly 1.8 miles — 1,171 panels – completed as of this week.

In April, CBP began the second section near Santa Theresa, N.M., which is near the Texas–New Mexico state line. A 20-mile section of existing vehicle barrier that begins just west of the Santa Teresa Port of Entry and extending westward will be replaced with an 18- to 30-foot-high bollard-style wall. About 5.3 miles, or 3,851 panels, have been completed.

As the name implies, a vehicle fence is not designed to keep people out. It comes in two forms: “Normandy fences” that are metal posts resembling jacks or large X’s, cabled together; or rows of vertical metal posts, tall enough and close enough together to make it impossible to drive a car through them.

The project is expected to cost approximately $73.3 million and will take roughly a year to complete.

The total length of the U.S.–Mexico border is 1,954 miles; as of August 2017, 705 miles have at least one of four kinds of barriers.

Democrats reacted with disappointment to Friday's Supreme Court ruling allowing the Trump administration to divert $2.5 billion in Pentagon funds for border wall construction.

The 5-4 ruling, which broke along ideological lines, means President Trump can tap into military funds to begin work to replace fencing along the southern border in California, Arizona and New Mexico. Earlier this month, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco had agreed with a lower-court ruling that prevented the government from tapping that funding.

Trump declared a national emergency along the border to get up to $8.1 billion for wall construction, including the $2.5 billion from the Defense Department. He called the ruling a big win for "Border Security and the Rule of Law."



"Wow! Big VICTORY on the Wall. The United States Supreme Court overturns lower court injunction, allows Southern Border Wall to proceed. Big WIN for Border Security and the Rule of Law!" he tweeted.

Prominent Democrats criticized the court's logic and Trump's plans to use earmarked funds in an effort to come through on his signature campaign issue. Many argue a wall will not slow the flow of migrants into the United States.

Arizona Rep. Raul M. Grijalva, whose district runs along the U.S.-Mexico border, called Trump's emergency declaration a "pathetic attempt to circumvent Congress."

"Trump’s fake emergency was nothing more than a pathetic ploy to circumvent Congress and build his monument to his racist policies. This fight is not over, and I will continue fighting Trump’s efforts to destroy our environment and militarize border communities. #NoBorderWall," he tweeted soon after the ruling broke.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., called the ruling "deeply flawed" over Twitter.

"This evening’s Supreme Court ruling allowing @realDonaldTrump to steal military funds to spend on a wasteful, ineffective border wall rejected by Congress is deeply flawed. Our Founders designed a democracy governed by the people — not a monarchy."

For his part, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer reminded his Twitter followers that when Trump was still a candidate for president, he promised that Mexico would pay for a border wall.

"It’s a sad day when the president is cheering a decision that may allow him to steal funds from our military to pay for an ineffective and expensive wall for which he promised Mexico would foot the bill," he posted.

He followed up with another tweet saying he hopes the courts will conclude Trump doesn't have the authority to build the wall.

Several Democratic presidential candidates also chimed in.

"Taking away money from the Defense Department to build a wall will not make us any safer. Trump’s political stunt will harm border communities & ignores the root causes of migration. We deserve a president with a common sense & compassionate immigration plan," former Housing Secretary Julian Castro tweeted.

Former Texas congressman Beto O'Rourke, also in the running for the Democratic presidential nomination, likewise expressed disappointment.

"Deeply disappointed in the Supreme Court’s decision. I’ve long opposed building walls, and while in Congress, I introduced language to prevent DOD funds from being used to plan or build a wall along our border. As President, I would do everything in my power to make that law."

"Congress did not appropriate these funds for Trump's medieval vanity project. Let's be clear: Trump's wall has never been about keeping the American people safe," tweeted California Sen. Kamala Harris.

"Diverting military funds for a vanity project is exactly who Donald Trump is. I will continue to fight back and join with those already challenging this wrong and misguided decision," New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker.



The American Civil Liberties Union said it plans to fight to keep Trump from using the funds for a wall that's already been denied by Congress.