The United States plans to complete the main structure of the southern border wall by late 2027, Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott announced on June 9, 2026 [1, 2]. "The primary border wall will be done by the end of 2027," Scott said [1]. The wall extends from San Diego, California, to the Gulf of Mexico, except in some remote areas such as Big Bend National Park where construction is not planned due to difficult terrain [2]. Scott explained, "The only places we’re not building a border wall is places where we’ve made a conscious decision that we don’t need it. Big Bend National Park, for example – super remote area, some very, very high cliffs" [2].
The wall is made of reinforced metal beams and supplemented by electronic surveillance and other technology set for installation by July or August 2028 at the latest [1, 3]. This technology aims to improve border security alongside the physical barrier. Along the 1,900-kilometer Rio Grande River border with Texas, physical barriers including a secondary barrier and water barriers will be deployed to enhance security [1, 4].
Scott noted that physical barriers alone cannot fully stop illegal activity, as smugglers use tunnels, drones, and other means to avoid detection [1]. "We’d see the drones flying along the Rio Grande River, watching and videotaping where all our guys are. That is their business model, and drones definitely make it easier. They’re also smuggling narcotics across with drones," he said [1]. Official indicators show declines in illegal immigration and drug trafficking via the border, which the wall and technology are intended to reduce [5, 6].
The border wall project timeline sets main completion by late 2027, with surveillance systems finishing by mid-2028 [7]. These steps mark the next concrete milestones in securing the southern border.
