U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials awarded a pair of contracts to build new border barriers in previously unsecured sections of the Laredo Sector in South Texas. The nearly half-million-dollar contracts will add 40 miles of border wall systems where none previously existed. The Laredo Sector has approximately 110 miles of border along the Rio Grande.
Officials report the border wall system is composed of 30-foot tall bollard wall sections, all-weather access roads, lighting, enforcement cameras, and other technology. Combined the border wall system provides an effective “enforcement zone” to combat the illegal crossing by Mexican cartels of drug and human cargo, according to information obtained from CBP officials.
The first contract ($283,150,000) is awarded to Fisher Sand & Gravel Co. The company will build 27 miles of new border wall systems. The contracted is funded from Fiscal Year 2020 appropriations, officials reported.
The second contract, awarded to Southwest Valley Constructors Co., provides an additional $201,250,000 in funding to build 13 more miles of border wall systems, the report continues. This contract is also funded from FY20 appropriations.
Officials did not disclose where in the Laredo Sector the 40 miles of new border wall systems will be constructed.
“The Laredo Sector is an area of high illegal activity, with over 43,000 illegal entry encounters and over 39,000 pounds of drugs seized FY 2020 through the end of August,” CBP officials said in a written statement. “The majority of its activity is occurring in areas where Laredo Sector lacks infrastructure, access and mobility, and technology. These projects will improve Laredo Sector’s ability to impede and deny illegal border crossings and the drug and human smuggling activities of transnational criminal organizations.”
Earlier this year, CBP officials announced construction would begin in January 2021 on a 14-mile long section of new border wall systems, Breitbart Texas reported.
Caddell Construction Company, (DE) LLC received the $275 million award to build the new border wall system. Officials sad the funding comes from FY 2020 appropriations approved by Congress.
Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior news contributor for the Breitbart Texas-Border team. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston’s What’s Your Point? Sunday-morning talk show. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX and Facebook.