Construction to fill gaps in the U.S.-Mexico border wall is resuming in San Diego County, with multiple projects scheduled to begin as early as next month. The planned work includes closing a 350-foot gap in Smuggler’s Gulch near Imperial Beach, filling two additional sections east of the Otay Mesa Port of Entry—one 600 feet long and another 1,500 feet—and completing a more than two-mile stretch near Jacumba Hot Springs. These areas have been identified by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) as key transit corridors for illegal crossings and human smuggling.
In preparation for the upcoming projects, U.S. troops have already installed several layers of razor wire along the existing barrier. Meanwhile, the Mexican National Guard has increased patrols along known high-traffic routes on their side of the border. According to CBP, these enhanced enforcement efforts are already yielding significant results. Border officials report that crossings in the San Diego sector are down 74% since the beginning of the year and 95% compared to the same time last year.
The move to close the remaining gaps is part of a renewed focus on border infrastructure. The Biden administration, while originally halting most new wall construction, has since approved targeted gap-filling efforts in areas where crossings are frequent and enforcement is difficult. San Diego County remains one of the most active regions along the southern border due to its proximity to major urban centers in both the U.S. and Mexico.
The history of border wall construction in San Diego dates back over three decades. One of the first major barriers was built under Operation Gatekeeper in the 1990s, when a 14-mile-long steel wall was erected between San Diego and Tijuana to deter illegal immigration and improve enforcement. Since then, successive administrations have reinforced the region’s fencing, especially during the Trump administration’s broader wall expansion efforts. Today, San Diego is one of the most fortified sectors of the U.S.-Mexico border, but gaps remain due to terrain challenges, private land boundaries, and changing enforcement priorities.
The new construction is part of a broader federal initiative to close more than 60 identified gaps in the border wall system across several states, including Arizona and Texas. These projects are designed not only to prevent unlawful entry but also to support CBP agents and reduce injuries and deaths related to dangerous terrain crossings.
While the latest announcement has been met with support from border enforcement advocates, immigrant rights groups continue to raise concerns about the humanitarian implications of increased wall construction, especially in areas that have served as crossing points for asylum seekers. Critics argue that physical barriers do not address the root causes of migration and may instead push migrants to take even riskier routes through desert or mountainous terrain.
Nonetheless, federal officials say the current projects are based on security assessments and input from Border Patrol agents in the field. Work is expected to begin by mid-April, with completion timelines dependent on terrain, weather conditions, and funding logistics.
Sources:
https://www.enr.com/articles/60254-border-wall-construction-restarts-in-california-and-texas
https://www.10news.com/news/local-news/border-fence-build-up-has-long-history-in-san-diego
https://www.kgun9.com/border-watch/a-history-of-our-border-wall-along-the-u-s-mexico-border
https://www.cbp.gov/frontline/walls-work
https://youtu.be/WBLB1twWOU0
