Advertisement
The Wall

The first prototypes for Trump's Mexican wall have been unveiled - and here are the pics

According to some estimates the wall could cost as much as $20 billion.

EIGHT PROTOTYPES OF US President Donald Trump’s proposed border wall were unveiled on Thursday at the Mexican border.

The concrete and steel structures, erected in a remote area in San Diego, will be tested for 30 to 60 days to determine which design meets the needs to secure the border, US Customs and Border Patrol Protection said in a statement.

“Border security contributes to our overall national security and relies on a combination of border infrastructure, technology, personnel, and partnerships,” the agency’s acting deputy commissioner Ron Vitiello said.

“Border walls have proven to be an extremely effective part of our multi-pronged security strategy to prevent the illegal migration of people and drugs over the years.”

Here are the eight ‘samples’.

Wall One: 

US Mexico Border Wall Prototypes Displayed John Gibbins / PA Images John Gibbins / PA Images / PA Images

Wall Two:

US Mexico Border Wall Prototypes Displayed John Gibbins / PA Images John Gibbins / PA Images / PA Images

Wall Three:

US Mexico Border Wall Prototypes Displayed John Gibbins / PA Images John Gibbins / PA Images / PA Images

Wall Four:

US Mexico Border Wall Prototypes Displayed John Gibbins / PA Images John Gibbins / PA Images / PA Images

Wall Five:

US Mexico Border Wall Prototypes Displayed John Gibbins / PA Images John Gibbins / PA Images / PA Images

Wall Six:

US Mexico Border Wall Prototypes Displayed John Gibbins / PA Images John Gibbins / PA Images / PA Images

Wall Seven:

Border Wall Gregory Bull / PA Images Gregory Bull / PA Images / PA Images

Wall Eight:

Border Wall Gregory Bull / PA Images Gregory Bull / PA Images / PA Images

Authorities said that in considering the mockups – built by six companies from across the United States – they will evaluate a number of characteristics including anti-breaching, anti-climbing and anti-digging capabilities.

The models were erected after Trump’s 25 January executive order that instructed the Department of Homeland Security to build a wall along the nearly 2,000-mile border with Mexico.

Trump, who argues that the wall will help stop illegal immigration, criminal gangs and drug trafficking, repeated the latter assertion in a speech on Thursday in which he declared the opioid crisis a “public health emergency”.

US Mexico Border Wall Prototypes Displayed John Gibbins / PA Images John Gibbins / PA Images / PA Images

“An astonishing 90% of the heroin in America comes from south of the border where we will be building a wall which will greatly help in this problem,” said Trump, who has yet to secure funding for his project.

According to some estimates, the wall could cost as much as $20 billion and Congress has so far been reluctant to dedicate funding for the barrier.

Mexico has also balked at Trump’s demands that it pay for the wall.

© AFP 2017

Your Voice
Readers Comments
152
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Submit a report
    Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
    Thank you for the feedback
    Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

    Leave a commentcancel