Border Chief Sets 1,000-Mile Goal for Trump’s Wall, Leaving Half of U.S.-Mexico Border Unfenced

... Congress has rebuffed Trump’s demand for $25 billion for wall construction. ...

Ronald Vitiello, chief of the Border Patrol and acting deputy commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, said a thousand miles of barrier “will make a major dent” in the nation’s security challenges. But in a briefing with reporters, he conceded that he’s not sure Trump has signed off on that target....

Roughly 654 miles of the border is already fenced, out of 1,954 miles. Most of that was built under the 2006 Secure Fence Act, signed by President George W. Bush....

Vitiello said Friday that $25 billion would be enough to replace or upgrade existing fencing, and add about 300 miles of new pedestrian barrier. Vehicle barrier accounts for 300 miles of current fencing....

The funds Congress has authorized for 2018 provide enough to build about 100 miles of fence or wall:  14 miles of replacement wall in San Diego, plus another 14 miles of secondary fencing; 20 new miles around Santa Teresa, N.M. just west of El Paso, with groundbreaking early in April; 4 miles of new fencing in El Paso; 25 miles of leveewall in Hidalgo County; and 8 miles of new “border wall system” in Starr County, including fencing, roads and lighting.