Trump 2.0

[SirRumpole]

Hilary Clinton echoing what Bill said.
And like Bill, should be called a RWNJ fascist racist something if she said it now.
Mick

I'm surprised we haven't heard any more about the Great Wall of Mexico.

Was it ever finished?

If it was, why isn't it working?

 

[sptrawler]

I'm surprised we haven't heard any more about the Great Wall of Mexico.

Was it ever finished?

If it was, why isn't it working?

Didn't Joe start pulling it down?

 

[SirRumpole]

Didn't Joe start pulling it down?

Here is the status according to ChatGPT.

Here’s a current summary (as of late 2025) of what’s happened with Trump’s anti-immigrant (Mexico-US) border wall — where it stands, what’s been built, what’s been cancelled or paused, and what the legal/political challenges are.

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What has been done / what's happening​

1. Wall segments built under Trump 2017-2021
   • During Trump’s first term, many miles of barrier were built (about 450 miles, though a lot of that replaced or reinforced existing barriers rather than building entirely new wall in unbarriered areas). ABC+3thelondoneconomic.com+3Wikipedia+3
   • Money was diverted from military construction and other sources due to difficulty getting full wall funding from Congress. American Immigration Council+3Wikipedia+3Wikipedia+3
2. Biden administration’s pause
   • When President Biden took office in early 2021, he revoked many of Trump’s executive orders related to building the wall, and paused further construction. Wikipedia+2Wikipedia+2
   • Funding that had been used/earmarked was cancelled or redirected. BBC+1
3. Recent revival under Trump’s second term
   • After Trump was re-elected and took office in 2025, wall construction has resumed or been re-authorized in some segments. ABC+3Wikipedia+3Newsweek+3
   • In July 2025, Congress passed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” which includes US$46.5 billion for the border wall among other border security measures. Wikipedia+1
   • Contracts have been awarded to build/extend wall segments in places like Texas. The goal includes “closing gaps” in existing barriers rather than building the full-length first promised wall. Reddit+1
4. Other changes — upgrades, painting, sensors etc.
   • Administrations are adding or planning technological upgrades (cameras, sensors).
   • One newly announced idea: painting certain wall sections black (“so it gets hot and harder to climb”). Might be more symbolic or incremental rather than a major structural change. People.com

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What hasn’t happened or what’s still a problem​

1. Wall not continuous / not fully built
   • The original promise was for a continuous barrier along the entire southern border (~2000 miles or more). That hasn’t been delivered. Many sections remain open, remote, or difficult to build due to terrain, private property, environmental laws, etc. thelondoneconomic.com+2ABC+2
   • Many “new” wall segments are replacements or renovations rather than wholly new structures in barrier-less border areas. American Immigration Council+2thelondoneconomic.com+2
2. Legal / logistical challenges
   • Lawsuits over land acquisition (eminent domain), environmental permits, property rights have delayed or blocked certain wall segments. thelondoneconomic.com+1
   • Regulatory actions (banning certain waivers) were reversed/approved depending on administration. Funding is subject to Congressional appropriation and oversight. Wikipedia+1
3. Cost and effectiveness criticisms
   • Critics argue the wall hasn’t drastically reduced migration, crossing patterns have changed (many migrants seek asylum at ports of entry), or simply go around/through weak/unfinished sections. The Independent+1
   • Cost has been very high, including maintenance, legal costs. Some parts built are considered vulnerable/risk from flooding, want of upkeep. ABC
4. Policy pauses / funding interruptions
   • Between transitions of presidential administrations (Trump → Biden → Trump), wall funding and construction paused or scaled back. Some wall contracts were halted or canceled. BBC+1

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Current status as of late 2025​

Putting all that together, here's roughly where things stand:

• Wall construction has restarted under Trump’s current administration, but it’s not going to be the original plan in full — the focus seems to be on closing gaps, reinforcing existing barrier segments, and maybe building new segments in specific high-priority areas. Wikipedia+2ABC+2
• Congress has allocated large funding (billions of dollars) for wall construction and border security under the “One Big Beautiful Bill” law. So the money is committed for an expanded wall project. Wikipedia+1
• However, with political, legal, environmental, and physical constraints, the full continuous border wall as once promised is unlikely to be fully realized exactly as originally envisioned.