So, let’s say somehow an agreement is reached and efforts are initiated to build Trump’s wall.
How soon could it get done? Who would build it? Would there be a procurement process whereby private contractors would submit bids, or would the Army Corps of Engineers do the job?
Could it be completed before Trump leaves office in January 2021 (assuming that occurs)?
That depends on what the current specifications are for “the Wall”. It’s not one single unchanging proposal.
It also depends on how long it takes to get control of other peoples property(if that can be accomplished at all), how much manpower is used, how many lawsuits are filed and how long it takes to settle them…far too many factors to even make an educated guess.
A good guess is about two years. functional designs have been selected in anticipation and contractors identified. The US Army would not be involved in it’s construction. Land that was owned by others would be obtained via willing permission or via federal eminent domain which, for national security purposes, cannot be held up via multiple lawsuits. Declaring the wall construction a national security element" is crucial to it’s success.
That would be 2.7 miles a day.
If those contractors are forced to use verified U.S. citizens to build those walls, where will they find a large enough workforce to build it that fast?
Some of the wall/fence was built a decade ago under the Bush Administration.
Last I heard, DHS has identified another 200 miles that needs a secure barrier.
There are many areas where building isn’t practical. For example, You can’t fence off a mountain.
The type of wall or fence is a political issue. Any secure barrier with sensors will slow down trespassers and give border agents time to respond.
It doesn’t have to be impenetrable.
They’ll come from all over for the right wage, plus per diem I’m sure. It’ll be expensive to get tons of people to essentially move to BFE for years. Don’t know why they’d need to be citizens instead of simply eligible to work legally, maybe if it’s declared as national security, idk.
Hypothetically, I own a farm on the Southern border; they eminent domain the southern 50 yards of my farm. Can I then prevent them from accessing those 50 yards via the rest of my property for trespassing reasons or to prevent damage to my (now reduced) crops? They’re gonna need some heavy equipment to deliver & assemble the wall components which might damage my land.
I think that funding for the actual construction should be contingent on signed contracts & settled lawsuits for all of the right of way.
No different than a construction loan for anything else…
It doesn’t work that way-apparently even a wildlife sanctuary has to play by the “It is [del]better[/del]easier to seek forgiveness than to ask permission” rules.
Only 50 yards? ah, so young and naïve…
The government is not as stupid as it looks. They have all those angles covered - especially if there’s a national security angle.