President Trump pledges to expand border wall, praises Texas Gov. Greg Abbott
President Donald Trump's inauguration marks a major change in federal immigration policy and a renewed push to expand the border wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.
Following the formal inauguration ceremony and address in the Capitol Rotunda, Mr. Trump spoke to an overflow crowd in Emancipation Hall, delivering an enthusiastic endorsement of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's border policies while pledging to continue construction of the southern border wall during his second term.
Mr. Trump made several remarks, discussing the wall's past, present, and future.
Praising Abbott as "a great man, a great leader," Trump joked about his luck in giving the governor glowing reviews while Abbott was present.
"I swear, I didn't know he was here," Mr. Trump said inside the Capitol's Emancipation Hall, eliciting laughter from the audience. "Did I get lucky? Supposing I said, 'The governor of Texas has done a terrible job.' Wow, look at you."
Mr. Trump's speech took a technical turn as he relayed anecdotes about the wall's construction and security features. Reflecting on the design challenges, he revealed his initial preference for a towering concrete structure.
"I wanted that sucker to go up 50, 60 feet, nice Y-shape. Beautiful. I love construction," he said.
However, after learning that drug smugglers could scale concrete walls like "rabbits," Mr. Trump conceded to a design combining hardened steel, reinforced concrete, and anti-climb panels.
"It wasn't pretty, but it worked," he declared, claiming the design stopped even expert climbers. "Sometimes you sacrifice beauty for efficiency."
Border wall construction during Trump's first term
During President Trump's first term, the U.S. constructed approximately 40 miles of new primary wall and 33 miles of secondary wall in areas without previous barriers, and replaced about 365 miles of outdated or dilapidated fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border.
In December 2019, CBS News reported that at least 78 miles of existing wall had been replaced since 2017.
Mr. Trump also recounted the legal battles to prevent sections of unused wall from being sold as scrap, attributing the successful intervention to Abbott and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
"They were going to sell it for five cents on the dollar," Mr. Trump said. "Think of it—20 times what they paid! Corrupt and horrible."
Biden's expansion of the border wall in Texas
The Biden administration expanded border wall construction in certain areas. In October 2023, his administration announced plans to build approximately 20 miles of new border wall in Starr County, Texas, to address rising migrant crossings. This decision marked a significant shift from Biden's earlier stance against new border wall construction.
The federal government waived 26 federal laws to expedite the construction process, a move that drew criticism from some Democratic lawmakers and immigration advocates.
Mr. Trump painted an ambitious vision for future border security.
"The [Texas] governor will call me and say, 'Sir, the wall is going up too fast!' And I'll say, 'That's what winning looks like.'"
The speech underscored Mr. Trump's continued focus on immigration, which he called the nation's "number one issue."
Proposed Texas law to facilitate border wall construction
A new bill recently filed in the Texas Senate would make it easier for new border wall segments to be built in the Lone Star State.
The proposal, from State Sen. Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe), would allow Texas to use eminent domain authority to build a wall along the southern border.
"Just as we do for highways, roads, dams, and bridges. Keeping people safe, building necessary infrastructure to provide for the safety of all Texans," Creighton told CBS News Texas political reporter Jack Fink.
During the Biden administration, the Texas state government built a total of 50 miles of border wall on its own. An investigation published by the Texas Tribune last month found that one-third of landowners along the border have refused to allow a wall to be built on their properties. That has resulted in "dozens of fragmented sections scattered across six counties, some no wider than a city block and others more than 70 miles apart," the Tribune reported.
Texas is helping with the border wall effort in other ways. In October, the Texas General Land Office purchased a 1400-acre property in the Rio Grande Valley to offer to the Trump administration for use as a staging ground for promised mass deportations.
Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, a Republican, said the state created an easement on the land to allow for the construction of more border wall segments.
As Mr. Trump wrapped up his Monday speech, he emphasized his commitment to rebuilding and expanding the wall.
"The people of Texas, and all over the country, are demanding it," Mr. Trump said.