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From Jacob Soboroff and Julia Ainsley
President Donald Trump has repeatedly pleaded for a steel slat design for his wall of border, which he described as "absolutely essential for border security". "In its oval office address to the nation on Tuesday." According to a DHS report, the tests done by the Homeland Security Department on a prototype steel slats proved that it was possible to cut them with a saw
A photo obtained exclusively by NBC News shows the results of the test according to the experts of the Marine Corps.
The Trump administration led the construction of eight prototypes of steel and concrete walls built at Otay Mesa, California, just across the border between Tijuana and Mexico, Trump inspected the prototypes in March 2018. He has now opted for a steel slat design or steel bollards for the proposed additions. at the border fence Steel fences have already been used under previous administrations
However, tests conducted by DHS at the end of 2017 showed that the eight prototypes, including the steel slats, were likely to break, according to an internal report published in February 2018 by US Customs and Border Protection. 19659009] The photos of the violations were not in a redacted version of CBP's report, which was first obtained in a request for the Freedom of Information Act from San Diego-based KPBS public radio station.
The photo of test results obtained by NBC News was: taken at the test site along the border between California and Mexico, known as "Pogo Row".
NBC News visited two prototypes of walls twice before President Trump's inspection in March 2018. According to San Diego sector border patrol leader Rodney Scott, the versions seen by NBC News and the Chairman, however, were larger than actual prototypes tested at "Pogo Row"
. DHS did not respond to a request for comment. 19659016] In response to KPBS, CBP spokesman Ralph DeSio said that the prototypes "were not and could not be designed to be indestructible" but aimed to "hinder or negate efforts to to resize, cross or dig under such a barrier, thus giving the officers time to respond. "
In his nationwide address to Trump on Tuesday, the design of the steel fence is" what our professionals at the border want and need, it's just common sense. "
As a candidate, Trump promised to build an "impenetrable, physical, tall, powerful, handsome" wall on the border that would be paid for by Mexico. Prior to the Oval Office speech, the White House's Office of Management and Budget sent a letter to Congress requesting US $ 5.7 billion for the construction of a 234-mile steel barrier.
Trump will travel to McAllen after the closure of the Texas government on Thursday to explain the construction of an additional border fence.
House Homeland Security Committee Chair Bennie Thompson said there was "nothing special" in the design of the Trump Wall.
"President Trump likes to pretend that a wall will solve all our problems, but it's clear for some time that it's only a very vanity project. expensive, "Thompson said. "Whether steel or concrete, its wall is nothing special and it will not secure our borders." Democrats are willing to work with the administration to improve the security of our borders, but let's get back proven and effective solutions. "
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