In terms of new construction, only 129 kilometers of wall were built, of which 76 kilometers were completely new, and 53 kilometers were secondary fences. On January 20, 2025, upon assuming his second term, Donald Trump declared a national emergency at the border with Mexico, a measure that allowed him to bypass congressional approval and unlock federal funds intended for wall construction.
During his 2020 election campaign, Trump claimed that his administration had built "300 miles (480 kilometers) of the border wall" and stated challengingly that "Mexico is paying for the wall, in case you didn't know." However, an analysis by BBC News indicated that the majority of the over 700 kilometers constructed during his administration consisted of repairs or replacements of already existing sections.
The U.S. government reported that it will begin construction of an additional 11.26 kilometers of the border wall with Mexico, a project that started in the state of Arizona. The news was confirmed by Kristi Noem, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, who emphasized that this expansion is part of Donald Trump's administration's efforts to strengthen security at the southern border and curb the flow of migrants into the country.
"I am here in Arizona. And right at this point, you can see where the border wall ends. Today we are starting seven miles (11.26 kilometers) of construction," Noem expressed in a published video. Adding that "we will continue working to make America safe again."
