SAN DIEGO – As the crisis continues at the southern border, one of the hottest points for migrant crossings still has large gaps in the border wall that Border Patrol agents say they know illegal immigrants will stream through.
Along the border near Otay Mountain, California, about 1.5 miles from the Otay Mesa port of entry, a large gap remains in the double-walled structure.
The Trump administration has erected or strengthened two walls: one along the U.S.-Mexico border to stop illegal immigrants from entering the U.S., and an additional wall, surrounded by roads and lighting, that allows Border Patrol agents to capture and detain crossers who climb over or through the initial structure.
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This image shows gaping holes in the southern border in the San Diego area. (Fox News)
But the Biden administration halted construction of the wall after taking office in 2021. While it has pledged to complete some projects already funded by Congress, such as repairing gaps in the wall, the San Diego project remains incomplete.
“This has a huge impact on our operations because this is an open area where migrants can walk into the United States without any hindrance. When migrants come in, instead of scaling the fence, they use this open area and they just walk in,” Manuel Bayon, president of the National Border Patrol Council in San Diego, said in an interview with Fox News Digital.
Bayon said the gap is “frustrating” for agents.
The Trump administration has built walls, roads and lighting throughout the border region. (Fox News)
“It was almost finished. It was about the size of two football fields. It was just an empty lot. It’s a sign that you’re allowed into the United States,” he said.
The gaps in the border wall represent a stark contrast between the policies of the former Trump administration and the Biden administration, which focused on increased domestic enforcement and building a border wall.
This image shows the border wall separating Mexico and the United States in the San Diego area. (Fox News)
The Biden administration has rolled back many of these measures as ineffective, calling instead for fundamental immigration reform and additional funding, while also emphasizing the importance of the “root causes” of migration.
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The group has accused Republicans of failing to act for political purposes, including on the recent bipartisan Senate bill, but Republicans, along with others including Border Patrol unions, have accused the Biden administration of stoking a crisis with its policies, pointing to record numbers of migrant encounters since the president took office.
The administration has taken steps, including a recent executive order aimed at restricting entry through the southern border if numbers are high. The White House announced this week that encounters have fallen by more than 50% and releases have fallen by 70% since the order was announced. Officials also say the administration has deported more than 50,000 individuals to more than 100 countries, including by operating more than 175 international repatriation flights.
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“While the president’s actions have achieved great results, it is clear that the only lasting solution to the challenges we face at the border — a solution that provides the additional authority, resources and personnel needed to ensure border security — will come through action by Congress,” the official said.
But Bayon downplayed the importance of the executive order, stressing that the union does not support the Biden administration because of a lack of enforcement power.
“It’s like putting a band-aid on an open wound,” he said.
