Exclusive - Trump border 'wall' to cost $21.6 billion, take 3.5 years to build: internal report

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Reuters

Thu Feb 9, 2017 | 6:33pm EST
By Julia Edwards Ainsley | WASHINGTON



President Donald Trump’s “wall” along the U.S.-Mexico border would be a series of fences and walls that would cost as much as $21.6 billion, and take more than three years to construct, based on a U.S. Department of Homeland Security internal report seen by Reuters on Thursday.

The report’s estimated price-tag is much higher than a $12-billion figure cited by Trump in his campaign and estimates as high as $15 billion from Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

The report is expected to be presented to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary John Kelly in coming days, although the administration will not necessarily take actions it recommends.

The plan lays out what it would take to seal the border in three phases of construction of fences and walls covering just over 1,250 miles (2,000 km) by the end of 2020.




Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-immigration-wall-exclusive-idUSKBN15O2ZN?rpc=401&

[TexasTowelie]

1. Build bridges, not walls.

I'm sure that they will take food out of the mouths of children to pay for this monstrosity.

[TranssexualKaren]

2. Remember the Great Wall of China?

I remember reading about how the Great Wall of China was originally built to protect China from a foreign enemy but over the following 2,500 years came to be a symbol of imperial oppression. I wonder what Americans in the year 4,517 will think of it?

[mercuryblues]

16. The great wall of China

does work. There aren't any undocumented Mexicans in China

[Charles Bukowski]

26. They're going to think, "63 million people actually voted

for that fucking idiot?"

[briv1016]

33. I severely doubt humans will still be around in 4,517.

[randr]

3. There should be a Republican tax for all the hair brained ideas they come up with

[Old Vet]

9. There you go, A tax on .223 rds, Confederate flags and DUCK whistles.........

[bucolic_frolic]

4. Boondoggle Cement Bone thrown to his contracting friends

Pure graft

[catbyte]

5. I read someplace where SCROTUS was going to steal it from Social Security

because he knows that Mexico won't pay a dime. I hope that June hurries up & gets here--that's when I can start collecting my early retirement. I decided not to wait until I am 66 because it most likely won't be there.

[pangaia]

11. I saw that also....

[pangaia]

12. I started taking mine at 65 while I was still working (HAD to keep working)

and put it all into and IRA each year until 18 months ago when I 'retired.'

Still, like so many others, without that income I am screwed.

[bluedigger]

6. Anything that extensive built in three years will fall down in twenty.

[not fooled]

18. It only needs to hold up

until the election in 2020, so that dump can satisfy his idiot followers.

[LiberalLovinLug]

7. hahahahaha Its going to cost way more and take way longer

Don't forget where this report comes from. I don't care if it is "leaked" or not. Its a report that they think they can sell to the public. And also they don't want to piss off Orange 45 too much.

I was going to post that video in case some haven't seen it. Can't find it. One that has an overhead camera pan the complete border from sea to sea. Through all kinds of mountainous areas, along rivers, etc...This project would take decades and cost 10x that.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

8. Think about how many schools could be built with $21 billion. Oh. DeVos. Coalminer jobs?

Think about how many bridges could be built with $21 billion.

Research into diseases and age related illnesses.

Health care for veterans and mothers.

Think about how many out of work coal miners could be retrained for the real jobs that are opening up.

Think about how many businesses could be incubated and nurtured in coal mining regions to employ out of work coal miners.

One problem. The tRump regime does not think. It reacts and is reactionary.

[christx30]

36. It's higher than NASA's budget.

We send things like Curiosity to Mars. Put satellites in orbit to monitor climate change. GO TO THE MOON.
But I guess none of that is more important that an ugly slab of concrete keeping Mexicans out.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

37. Yeah, & it wouldn't be very effective if built. Certainly not $21 B effective. Before cost overruns.

Any chance that fat cat RepubliCon CONtractors will pad the bill and run it up?

[christx30]

38. You build a 20 foot wall, someone's gonna build

a 21 foot ladder. A 2nd century solution to a 21st century problem, defeated by something invented 10,000 years ago.

And as far as fat cats running up the cost? Chances of that are damn near 100%. If it didn't happen, I'd be shocked.

[wishstar]

10. There are already close to 800 miles of fences and barriers along the 1600 mile border

So almost half of border is already walled, per recent ABC and PBS news reports.

But most of the remaining miles of border present difficult geographic challenges, hence high cost

[Sophiegirl]

13. Yep. Kinda hard to...

Build a wall in the middle of the Rio Grande river on privately held property.

But then Trump is a fan of immanent domain.

[Old Vet]

15. Thinking the same thing, Some of those Ranchers are DEAD set against this land grab....

But then again land grabs is one of trumps specialties.......

[montana_hazeleyes]

29. He likes to grab things alright!

[Squinch]

14. And more Mexican people are leaving the US than are coming in. So it serves no purpose.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

17. Mexico won't pay, no matter how much or little it costs. US consumers will pay, not rich tax avoider

[dhill926]

19. so....are they including sabotage costs.....

that thing is gonna get blown up constantly...

[cstanleytech]

20. I suspect the actual cost to the taxpayers will be atleast 10x higher and thats not

counting maintenance costs and its still wasteful spending for something that will not really work.

[Sunlei]

21. The EO also calls for building new detention facilities near the border. Another trillion to deport

millions of people, hire more prison guards, more local stormtroopers to drag away moms, dads, grandparents, fostercare for the kids.

[Turbineguy]

22. What a waste.

They could guard Mrs. Trump for 59 years for that kind of money.

[Marthe48]

23. just build a fence around rnc headquarters

n/t

[truthisfreedom]

24. That price won't cover the cost of two by fours and barbed wire.

It'll be ten times that.

[dchill]

25. 21.6 billion... And that's without...

Health insurance for the wall builders, I'll wager. That would be too costly.

[SylviaD]

27. I still can't believe that this idiotic proposal is actually going to happen.

Building a giant WALL between the USA and Mexico sounds like something out of a bad Hollywood movie.

I honestly cannot be living in the real world right now. I must be dreaming.

Someone please tell me I am dreaming and this maniac is not president.

[Retrograde]

28. I wonder what else the US could do with $25B

a national rail network, upgraded utilities and infrastructure, low-cost student loans a la the old NSDL program, underwriting scientific research, basic health care, efforts to halt global warming...

[Docreed2003]

30. That's exactly my thoughts as well...

But there's no money for that other stuff...the GOP will say....SMDH

[moondust]

34. Space wall.

There are at least seven alien-majority planets where aliens may be plotting terror attacks against the U.S.

THE SECURITY OF OUR NATION IS AT STAKE!

[Xolodno]

31. 3 and half years to build not going to happen.

The lawsuits alone will plow this well beyond late into a second hypothetical term....and when I say hypothetical....no chance in hell. They may be able to improve upon existing walls quickly, but were talking about eminent domain fights, logistical hurdles and engineering nightmares, etc.

And then what happens when a completed section of this wall is shown on news networks that is defeated by ladders and shovels? Government boondoggle = ratings.

Ultimately, a waste of money, yet again, by Republicans.

[meadowlander]

32. And that's not counting yearly maintenance and staff to patrol it.

He wants to spend $21.6 billion dollars on something that can be defeated by a ladder that costs $150 or a tunnel that costs a few thousand.

More than anything else, proposing this absolutely gobsmacking waste of taxpayer money should call for impeachment on the grounds of gross incompetence.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

35. Trump change