(The Texas Tribune)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced on Monday that three contracts have been awarded to begin construction of 65 miles of new border fence in the Rio Grande Valley.
Construction is set to begin in early 2020 “pending availability of real estate,” according to a CBP press release. It’s not clear whether the agency has control of the land where it plans to build the barrier and the release doesn’t specify exactly where it will be built in Cameron, Hidalgo and Starr counties.
The agency said the contracts with Southern Border Constructors and Gibraltar-Caddell Joint Venture have a base cost of $385.7 million, but the total cost of the projects could go as high as $800 million including “options.” The agency’s statement doesn’t explain that term and an agency spokesperson could not be reached for comment. Read more