An internal report at the Department of Homeland Security pegs the cost of a border wall with Mexico at $21.6 billion, far more than cost estimates put forward by President Donald Trump or congressional leadership, Reuters reported Thursday.
According to Reuters, the estimate came from a group assembled by DHS Secretary John Kelly that the news wire described as a “final step” before moving to request taxpayer funds from Congress to begin on the wall.
In February 2016, Trump claimed the barrier would cost $10 billion to 12 billion. Around the same time, the Washington Post’s fact-checkers, based on discussions with engineers and contractors, estimated the cost at $25 billion, at least.
In late January of this year, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said the wall would cost $12 to 15 billion. House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) said the wall would cost up to $15 billion.
Reuters reported that much of the cost disparity came from the expense of buying private land necessary for the wall’s construction, and the cost of complying with the International Boundary and Water Commission, a pact between the two nations over shared waters.
A DHS spokeswoman told Reuters that the department would not comment on or confirm “the potential existence of pre-decisional, deliberative documents.” And a White House spokeswoman said it would be “premature” to comment on a report that had yet not been presented to the President.
To be fair, the DHS report is based on actually paying the contractors.
20 billion is more in line with reality
I did a calculation based on the cost of concrete blocks from Home Depot and came up with a similar cost. But I did not count in the cost of labor or the necessary road building thru Big Bend and other places along the Texas border with Mexico. Or that the Rio Grande sometimes changes its course or the necessary treaties exactly defining where the border is or the environmental impact statements needed.
So there’s that
MeXico isn’t gOinG to bE happY.
Oh honest to God. This is SUCH BS. It’s not going to be built. SOME excuse will be ‘thought’ up. Trump will take credit for Obama’s policy of ‘1 in, 1 out’. Some lie will be spewed about ‘illegals’ pouring over the border. Not happening.
Well, my oh my, this is SUCH a surprise! Trump low-balling? I’m shocked!