Building a border wall: CBP top official updates plans

WASHINGTON - The acting commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Mark Morgan, says the wall along the country's southwestern border will be built. Building the wall to protect the border was a cornerstone of President Trump's campaign.

The chief executive has repeatedly said the wall will go up.

Funding that had been earmarked for the military is being diverted to pay for the project.

"Every mile of wall that's being built, it is a new mile of wall.  And, again, I'll reiterate, it's not just a wall, it's a wall system," said Morgan.

Morgan says the wall system will include lighting, technology and access roads.

"So, I told you, we're anticipating by 2020 about 450 to 500 miles. Right now we have current projects that are slated in a couple areas including RGV (Rio Grande Valley), which will easily reach 100 new miles of linear wall."

Morgan was asked who's paying for the border wall.

"As the commissioner of CBP, I don't care. That's political.  That's what politicians decide.  What I can tell you as the CBP commissioner, every single mile of wall that is built, this country is more safe. Every single mile the wall that's built, it allows the border patrol agents to exponentially increase their capacity to do their job."

President Trump has come under a storm of criticism for diverting funding from the military to pay for the wall.