Trump Wants a Border Wall. See What’s in Place Already.
The 2,000-mile United States border with Mexico is defined by rugged terrain and the Rio Grande, which act as natural barriers.
Most U.S. border land east of El Paso, Tex., is privately owned. To the west, most of the land is owned by the federal government.
The government has built nearly 700 miles of wall and fencing since 2006, mostly on federal land and where the terrain does not provide a natural barrier.
Some of the fencing is tall — higher than 10 feet — and concentrated near populated areas.
These sections are intended to keep people from trying to cross the border on foot.
Still, people find ways to cut through the fencing or climb over it.
The rest of the fencing lies in areas where the terrain makes it difficult to safely cross the border on foot.