West
Border wall gap left open after Biden stopped construction frustrates agents: ‘It’s a beacon’
SAN DIEGO – Amid an ongoing crisis at the southern border and in one of the hottest spots for migrant crossings, there remains a massive gap in the border wall – through which Border Patrol agents say illegal immigrants know to pour through.
Along the border near Otay Mountain, California, about a mile and a half from the port of entry in Otay Mesa, there remains an enormous gap in the double wall structure.
The Trump administration set up or bolstered two barriers, one right along the U.S.-Mexico border to deter illegal immigrants from crossing into the United States. The second is an additional wall, surrounded by roads and lights so that Border Patrol can scoop up and detain any crossers who manage to climb over or through the first structure.
IMMIGRATION HAWKS DELIGHTED AT TRUMP PICK JD VANCE: ‘ONE HELL OF A CO-PILOT’
This image shows the gap in the southern border in the San Diego sector. (Fox News)
But the Biden administration stopped the wall construction after entering office in 2021. While it has committed to completing some projects already funded by Congress, including repairing some gaps in the wall, this project in San Diego has remained incomplete.
“It has a very significant impact on operations because it’s an open area where migrants can walk right into the United States unimpeded and when there’s an influx of migrants, they just use that instead of climbing the fence and just walk in that open area,” Manuel Bayon, president of the National Border Patrol Council in San Diego, told Fox News Digital in an interview.
Bayon described the gap as “frustrating” for agents.
The Trump administration built a wall, along with roads and lighting, throughout the border area. (Fox News)
“It was almost completed. You’re looking at possibly approximately two football fields. It’s just an open gap. It’s a beacon that here you’re allowed to cross into the United States,” he said.
In a statement, CBP said it “utilizes a multi-layered enforcement strategy where multiple facets complement each other to enhance border security.
“This includes technology, personnel and tactical infrastructure as well as a whole-of-government approach that utilizes our partner agencies as well as relationships forged with foreign governments,” a spokesperson said. “This particular location is included in the Border Patrol’s infrastructure priority list. We have been working to address this list over the past several years and are continuing to do work to do so.”
CBP has separately pointed to lower border numbers in recent months, including in San Diego Sector, with stats showing that encounters by Border Patrol are 29% lower than in May. The agency also says it is enforcing consequences against those entering illegally and on smugglers, with consequences including removal and a five year bar to entry.
“No one should believe the lies of smugglers. The fact remains: the United States continues to enforce immigration law, and those without a legal basis to remain will be removed,” CBP said.
The gap in the border wall represents the stark contrast between the policies of the prior Trump administration and the Biden administration. The Trump administration focused on increased interior enforcement and border wall construction.
This image shows the border wall separating Mexico from the U.S. in the San Diego Sector. (Fox News)
The Biden administration rolled back many of those measures, calling them ineffective. Instead, it has called for fundamental immigration reform and additional funding, while also emphasizing the importance of “root causes” of migration.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS
It has accused Republicans of failing to act for political purposes, including on a recent bipartisan Senate package. Republicans though, along with others including the Border Patrol union, have accused the Biden administration of fueling the crisis with its policies and have pointed to the record numbers of migrant encounters since the president took office.
The administration has taken action, including a recent executive order designed to limit entries at the southern border when numbers are high. The White House said this week that since the order was announced, encounters overall have decreased by more than 50%, and the number of releases has decreased by 70%. Officials also say the administration has removed and returned more than 50,000 individuals to more than 100 countries.
“While the president’s action has led to significant results, it is clear that the only lasting solution to the challenges we are seeing on our border – the solution that would deliver additional authorities, resources, and personnel that we need to secure our border – is through congressional action,” an official said.
Bayon, however, stressed that the union does not support the Biden administration due to what he said was a lack of enforcement, and also downplayed the importance of the executive order.
“It’s a Band-Aid on an open wound,” he said.
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NORTHWEST BOISE, Idaho — The Boise River is considered the heart of the city for many folks — floating, fishing and the gorgeous scenery on the greenbelt all rely on the waterway.
That’s why the City of Boise closely monitors the river’s water quality and the treated wastewater returned to the river from its water renewal facilities.
“The biggest question we get from people who are pedestrians and bicyclists is what are you trying to catch?,” said Bryan Dufosse, Senior Environmental Specialist with the City of Boise.
He and his team are often seen on the bridges over the Boise River with a unique crane looking contraption that they use to collect a series of water samples across the river.
WATCH | See how the city’s enviromental team tests the water quality of the Boise River
How the City of Boise tests water samples to ensure the Boise River runs clean
The city collects samples from locations upstream and downstream from Boise’s water renewal plants to ensure their treatment systems are working properly.
“We’re from the beginning of the pipe to the end of the pipe, making sure that we’re not putting anything into the river that takes away from the river’s water quality,” Dufosse said.
He says the majority of the time their samples come back nice and clean.
“We don’t see heavy pollutants fortunately here. Normally the Boise river is pretty clean, it’s pretty clean because the city citizens and the City Of Boise care about the River,” Dufosse said.
The city still conducts extensive testing to monitor for pollutants and other contaminants like heavy metals or nutrients. Samples collected from the river are brought to a portable water testing lab they built inside a camper before they’re taken to the city’s full size lab.
“Now we are splitting the samples so we can take them back to the water quality lab and then Alex and the rest of the team will test them for heavy metals and pH and all that kind of stuff,” said Corrine Smith, Water Quality Environmental Technician with the City of Boise.
If unusually high levels of metals or pollutants are detected, the city reports the findings to the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality and works to identify the source.
The city’s water quality team tests the Boise River 52 weeks a year to ensure the water remains clean and healthy.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been, in part, converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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SPARKS, Nev. (KOLO) – From Friday, July 17, at 10 a.m. through 6 a.m. Monday, July 20, Southbound Pyramid Way will be closed from Oddie Boulevard to C Street in Sparks for repaving and reconstruction work, according to a Wednesday, July 15, Nevada Department of Transportation news release.
• Southbound vehicles will be detoured via McCarran Boulevard
• Business access will remain available via side streets and marked with signs
• Westbound and eastbound Prater Way will remain open during the closures
• Drivers are asked to leave extra time to detour around the closures
The $14 million improvement project will improve Pyramid Way for bout 28,000 drivers who use it daily, the release said.
In 2010, the road was fully repaved, with minor resurfacing in some areas more recently.
Copyright 2026 KOLO. All rights reserved.
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