Trump Administration Plans 10 Miles of New Border Barriers Near San Diego

The Trump administration is moving forward with plans to build nearly 10 miles of new border barriers along the San Diego–Mexico border, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

The project includes:

• 8 miles west of the Tecate Port of Entry

• Just over 1 mile east of Tecate

• A little more than 3 miles east of the Otay Mesa Port of Entry

The new barriers will consist of 30-foot-high steel bollards with anti-climb features.

Immigration advocates, including Pedro Rios of the American Friends Service Committee, strongly oppose the plan, arguing it will divert migration into more dangerous areas and increase the risk of deaths along the border. “Border walls just simply don’t work… they’re not a useful way of deterring migration,” Rios said.

Environmental groups are also raising alarms, citing threats to wildlife and migratory species in the region. Last month, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem issued a waiver of environmental laws to allow the project to proceed.

CBP says it will conduct biological and cultural surveys in coordination with tribes and federal, state, and local agencies to assess potential impacts.

NBC News has reached out to CBP for further comment.