Granite Construction crews installed the final border fence panel earlier today, completing the replacement of an estimated 7.5 miles of outdated primary pedestrian fencing along the U.S-Mexico border near Arizona’s Naco Port of Entry.
The Naco, Arizona Port of Entry has been in existence for more than 100 years.
The historic Adobe-style border station built in 1937 still stands and serves as CBP office space.
A new border inspection station was built in adjacent space in 1994 by the General Services Administration. At one time, trains used to cross the border here as well, but train service ended early in the 20th Century.
Plans for the replacement fencing began four years ago, and funding was approved last year as part of the 2016 fiscal budget.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fklQINp_nIY
(Construction crews installed the final border fence panel on May 10, 2017, which completes the replacement of approximately 7.5 miles of outdated primary pedestrian fencing near Arizona’s Naco Port of Entry. Courtesy of the CBP, Dr. Justin Imel and YouTube)
The overall project, which includes replacement fencing, road improvements, and improvements to low water crossings, is expected to be completed next month.
This Google map illustrates the borderlands between Arizona and Mexico at Naco. Naco is a small border town that straddles Arizona.
The replacement fence creates greater impedance to illegal crossings, and improves situational awareness of illicit activities along the immediate border.
Among the benefits of the new barrier: Suspects on the Mexican side of the border can’t sneak up on Border Patrol agents, a prevalent threat in places where outdated primary pedestrian fencing served as a divider along the border between U.S. and Mexican cities.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation’s borders at and between the official ports of entry.
CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.
