Kristi Noem, the former governor of South Dakota, has announced the commencement of construction on a new 7-mile stretch of the border wall in Arizona, building on the momentum of the Trump administration's efforts to curb illegal immigration. The announcement came shortly after the Secretary of Homeland Security revealed that illegal crossings have significantly dropped by 95% during President Trump’s administration.

In a video shared from the Arizona border on Sunday, Noem, now serving as the Secretary of Homeland Security, confirmed that construction would soon begin on this new section of the wall. She expressed that this was a critical step in her mission to “make America safe again,” as she stood near the area where the current border wall ends, wearing a U.S. Border Patrol baseball cap and jacket.

“Everybody, I’m here in Arizona, and right at this spot, you can see where the border wall ends,” she said, appearing in the video. “As of today, we’re starting 7 new miles of construction, we’re going to continue to make America safe again.”

The new 7-mile stretch will be a continuation of the work already initiated by the Trump administration, which made significant strides in reducing illegal border crossings and increasing enforcement at the southern border. The drop in illegal crossings has been attributed to both the stricter enforcement policies under President Trump’s leadership and the ongoing construction of the border wall.

Under President Trump’s administration, illegal border crossings dropped dramatically, with figures showing a 95% decrease compared to President Joe Biden’s tenure. Secretary Noem recently noted that daily border encounters have reached some of the lowest numbers ever recorded by the Border Patrol, including instances where fewer than 200 encounters occurred in a single day.

“We’ve seen less than 200 encounters in a day. That’s remarkable,” Secretary Noem said in a recent interview with NewsNation. “Now our agents can get back to doing their jobs and enforcing the law instead of processing.”

Noem’s visit to Nogales, Arizona, in Santa Cruz County, coincided with reports showing that illegal border crossings in the area had dropped to levels not seen since 1967. This area, known for its use by cartel smugglers, had previously been a major route for traffickers moving people and drugs across the U.S.-Mexico border.

“Illegal crossings are down 95% under President Trump,” Noem stated, emphasizing that the sharp reduction in illegal activity could be attributed to both stricter enforcement policies and the border wall’s construction.

She also highlighted how the Mexican cartels were becoming “more desperate” as a result of the increased security measures at the border, including the construction of the wall. Cartels, she said, were recognizing that federal laws were being enforced, and the U.S. government was no longer allowing people to freely cross the border.

“They recognize that we’re enforcing our federal laws, that we’re not letting people just walk across the border anymore,” Noem explained. “We are building a wall, we are securing our borders, and we’re not going to let this illegal activity continue.”

Noem further highlighted the work of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which has arrested more than 32,000 people since Trump took office in January, nearly matching the total number of ICE arrests under the Biden administration in all of 2024.

In addition to discussing the significant decrease in illegal crossings, Noem shared some of the creative and dangerous methods smugglers have used to try and transport people and drugs across the border. She posted on X about finding fentanyl hidden in watermelons, humans smuggled inside trucks, and meth concealed within charcoal.

"Proud of the work our officers are doing to keep America safe at Nogales Port of Entry,” Noem tweeted, praising the efforts of the Customs and Border Protection officers working tirelessly to prevent illegal activity.

The construction of the new 7-mile section of the border wall is just one example of how the Trump administration continues to press forward with its border security initiatives, demonstrating the administration’s commitment to securing the nation’s southern border.

Secretary Noem's announcement and actions signify the ongoing priority placed on national security, enforcement of immigration laws, and the protection of the U.S. border. With illegal crossings and cartel operations at the forefront of discussions, Noem is emphasizing the importance of completing the border wall and taking stronger actions against illegal immigration.

Originally reported by Anthony Blair in New York Post.