The first half-mile section of the border wall in Sunland Park, New Mexico was completed Sunday, even as armed drug cartel foots soldiers probed the wall over the weekend.
“Foreman Mike” of We Build the Wall was featured in an update late Sunday morning on YouTube and the organization’s other social media accounts. At that point, about 39 feet of the section remained to be done.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3vbw2HG03E&app=desktop
There is still work to do on the roadway and lighting, Foreman Mike said on this version of the We Build the Wall video on Twitter feed of organization founder Brian Kolfage. Foreman Mike projected the entire project would be completed Tuesday.
https://twitter.com/BrianKolfage/status/1135185537848020992
Work resumed last week after Sunland Park Mayor Javier Perea backtracked on his claim the wall violated city law, after the city had issued a cease and desist order, Battleground State News reported.
Foreman Mike said on Sunday’s video that crews were working around the clock and pointed out the formidable, mountainous terrain. The wall runs up a 31 percent grade.
He said Tommy Fisher of Fisher Industries and Stanley Jobe of Jobe Concrete were leading the work.
You can see the wet concrete,” Foreman Mike said, pointing to the construction along the wall. They finished a section at 11:30 p.m. Saturday.
Foreman Mike called the process a “chess match of moving men, machinery, concrete and trucks up a moving slope” but said they had been safe and efficient with no accidents. Indeed, they hold three safety meetings per day.
“We can’t stop them,” Foreman Mike said. “The patriotism and dedication of these American workers is fantastic.”
Hew said all the construction equipment, steel and concrete were American-made.
In a video posted Saturday, while trying to close up on the first half mile of wall, Foreman Mike said “military-clad specialists from the cartels” had been probing the construction site. The only thing stopping them are We Build the Wall’s armed guards. They got within 15 feet of the excavators Friday night.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LqaeHLPQGA
Foreman Mike said the half-mile section cut off 19 foot trails, according to the Border Patrol. Those trails account for $100,000 to $200,000 of drugs as well as human traffickers per day, he said. When he arrived at the border 17 days ago, about 450 people crossed every night. Those numbers began dwindling, and there have been zero crossings for the last eight days.
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Jason M. Reynolds has more than 20 years’ experience as a journalist at outlets of all sizes.
