Border Wall Construction Expands with New Contract in Arizona, Waiver for Texas Build

WASHINGTON — The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced new momentum in the Trump administration’s border security efforts with a $309 million construction contract awarded to Fisher Sand & Gravel Co. for the construction of approximately 27 miles of new border wall in Santa Cruz County, Arizona. This is the second major wall-building contract of President Trump’s second term, using U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Fiscal Year 2021 funds.

The newly awarded stretch will help close key border gaps left unbuilt after the Biden administration cancelled prior contracts. The construction zone is located within the U.S. Border Patrol’s Tucson Sector, an area long recognized as a hotspot for illegal crossings and drug trafficking.

“Continuing border wall construction in Tucson will support the Department of Homeland Security’s ability to impede and deny illegal border crossings and the drug and human smuggling activities of transnational criminal organizations,” DHS stated in the release.

Waiver Signed to Speed Texas Border Wall Project

In a parallel move aimed at accelerating additional construction, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem has issued a new federal waiver authorizing the expedited construction of up to 17 miles of new border wall in the Rio Grande Valley Sector in Texas. The waiver, the fifth of Noem’s tenure as DHS Secretary, allows DHS to bypass environmental and administrative permitting processes that could otherwise delay critical work.

“The Secretary’s waiver authority allows DHS to waive environmental laws—including the National Environmental Policy Act—to ensure the expeditious construction of physical barriers and roads, by minimizing the risk of administrative delays,” DHS said. “Projects executed under a waiver are critical steps to secure the southern border and reinforce our commitment to border security.”

The waiver applies to the RGV 02/04/10 Wall Project, which includes approximately 9 miles of wall construction already awarded, with the potential to build an additional 8 miles through optional extensions. These efforts are likewise funded through CBP’s FY 2021 appropriations.

Construction Strategy and Border Security Goals

Together, these projects reflect DHS’s continued commitment to President Trump’s stated goal of sealing off high-traffic border corridors with physical infrastructure. With ongoing construction in Arizona and accelerated efforts in Texas, DHS aims to boost enforcement capacity and disrupt smuggling routes used by transnational criminal organizations.

These projects also signal DHS’s renewed intent to restore halted construction plans from earlier years. By closing longstanding gaps in critical sectors like Tucson and the Rio Grande Valley, DHS is reinforcing strategic locations where illegal activity has posed ongoing security challenges.

As Secretary Noem continues to issue waivers and authorize new projects, DHS remains positioned to press forward with rapid border wall development across the southern border.

Originally reported by U.S Customs and Border Protection.