A wall that goes sky high by the minute

There is a ridiculous number of disparate estimations towards the actual cost for the construction of a border wall between Mexico and the U.S., apart from the countless difficulties for the purchase and land expropriation of privately owned lands in the border. Some press reports said that offers to Texan landowners are already in place for amounts on the verge of ridicule and for which they are determined to go to court.

The final cost for the border wall is largely dissimilar, according to the agency or source that publishes it. While the The National Association of Precast Concrete Industry (ANDEC), estimated USD$8m no expropriation costs included, an amount below the USD$12m anticipated by president Trump, who insists on having a cost reduction given his negotiation talents, Republican leaders Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell have pointed at a USD$12M-USD$15m budget, despite the over USD$20m amount given by their Republican colleagues.

The only official amount to this day has been provided by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for USD$21,600m, while the director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Mick Mulvaney talked about USD$8m-USD$25m per mile built.

Independent cost material firm Bernstein Research, assures that the cost could reach USD$25,000m., while Democrat senator Clarie McCaskill, talked about a USD$66,900m amount after a meeting with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency (CBP) earlier this week.

The Department of Homeland Security estimated a three-year construction period to complete the president’s election promise, with a three-stage construction plan starting at San Diego, to continue in Rio Grande Valley, Laredo, El Paso and Tucson, with a final phase intending to close any remaining land between the Mexico-U.S. border.

The U.S. Congress would have to approve funding for the wall between April and May this year to start construction as from September. Over 200 construction companies have participated in the tendering process so far, however, there is growing opposition to the project from Democrats and Republicans alike, particularly from those representing border and farming states.

Next April 28, on the eve of the first 100 days of the Trump administration, people will be attentive of the budgetary efforts in favor or against the construction of the border wall between Mexico and the U.S. and, unless an agreement is reached in the U.S. Congress, the government will be stripped of funding and will have to dismiss the project for lack of budget.