The Trump administration expects to finish construction of the long-awaited southern border wall by the end of 2027, according to Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott, who outlined the timeline during remarks in Washington on Tuesday.

Speaking at an event hosted by the Center for Immigration Studies, Scott said the reinforced steel barrier stretching along the U.S.-Mexico border will extend from the San Diego area to the Gulf of Mexico, with only a handful of exceptions in locations where officials have determined a wall is unnecessary.

“The primary border wall will be done by the end of 2027,” he said.

Scott explained that only a few sections will remain without a wall because of specific geographic conditions and strategic considerations.

“There’s a couple of gaps,” Scott said. “The only places we’re not building a border wall is places where we’ve made a conscious decision that we don’t need it. Big Bend National Park, for example — super remote area, some very, very high cliffs.”

In addition to the physical barrier, the administration plans to deploy a network of surveillance technology and monitoring systems designed to strengthen border security. Scott said those components should be fully operational by mid-2028.

The electronic infrastructure, including sensors and other security tools, is expected to be completed by “about July, maybe at the latest August 2028,” Scott said.

Texas’ lengthy border with Mexico, much of which follows the Rio Grande for more than 1,200 miles, will receive additional layers of protection beyond the primary wall.

“We’ll have the entire system to include a secondary barrier in places we need it — the water barrier and the Rio Grande River — and the technology,” Scott said.

Federal officials say the border wall initiative is aimed at reducing illegal immigration and disrupting drug-smuggling operations originating in Mexico. Government data indicates both have declined in recent years.

Still, Scott cautioned that physical infrastructure alone cannot eliminate all illicit activity along the border, noting that criminal organizations continue to develop new methods for bypassing security measures.

He pointed to underground tunnels, unmanned aircraft, and other tactics used by smugglers and cartels to monitor law enforcement activity and transport narcotics.

“We’d see the drones flying along the Rio Grande River watching and videotaping where all our guys are. That is their business model, and drones definitely make it easier,” Scott said. “They’re also smuggling narcotics across with drones.”

{Matzav.com}