DHS Grants Waiver for Five-Mile Border Wall Expansion in Texas

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is moving forward with another segment of the southern border wall after Secretary Kristi Noem signed a waiver to accelerate construction in Texas. The measure clears the way for approximately five miles of new 30-foot-tall border wall to be built in Starr and Hidalgo Counties, located within the U.S. Border Patrol’s Rio Grande Valley Sector.

The construction will be carried out under an existing contract already underway, using funds appropriated to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in Fiscal Year 2019. This marks the seventh waiver issued by Secretary Noem since assuming her role, signaling a renewed push by the Trump administration to expand physical border barriers despite long-standing legal and environmental challenges.

Ongoing and Future Wall Construction

Currently, CBP reports that about 100 miles of new border barrier are in various stages of construction and planning, financed through appropriations from previous years. The scale of future work expanded significantly this summer when Congress passed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1),” signed by President Trump on July 4, 2025, which included $46.5 billion dedicated to border barrier system construction.

That funding will support not only primary and secondary walls but also waterborne barriers, patrol roads, and advanced technology systems such as surveillance cameras, lighting, and motion sensors. These integrated systems are designed to enhance both intel gathering and rapid response capabilities, while providing “impedance and denial” features that give Border Patrol agents an advantage in detecting and interdicting unlawful crossings.

Waiver Authority and Border Security Goals

Under Section 102 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, DHS has authority to waive legal requirements, including environmental and historical preservation laws, in order to expedite barrier construction. Projects executed under a waiver bypass lengthy regulatory reviews, which officials argue is necessary for urgent national security projects.

“Projects executed under a waiver are critical steps to secure the southern border and reinforce our commitment to border security,” DHS said in its announcement.

The agency emphasized that the new wall segments will directly support the mission of U.S. Border Patrol agents working in some of the busiest sectors along the border. The Rio Grande Valley Sector has consistently recorded some of the highest levels of unlawful crossings in the nation, making it a focal point for expanded infrastructure.

A Broader Strategy

The Trump administration has framed the Penn Station redevelopment, critical infrastructure investments, and the border wall as part of a broader effort to modernize the nation’s physical systems. In the case of border security, the administration argues that physical barriers, combined with advanced technology, create a force multiplier for agents, ensuring both security and mobility in difficult terrain.

The latest waiver underscores the administration’s stance that physical infrastructure remains a cornerstone of border policy, even as debates continue over its effectiveness and impact.

Originally reported by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.