Work began Friday on Governor Doug Ducey’s latest plan to close the gaps in Yuma’s border wall.
It uses shipping containers reinforced with concertina wire to seal the holes.
Governor Ducey issued an executive order early Friday morning directing the Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs to act immediately, and construction began a short time later.
The plan is to link together the 8,800 pound containers, weld them shut, and then top them with razor wire.
The wall of containers will reach up about 22 feet, lower than the permanent barrier.
A 25-person team will work through the weekend to complete the project before Monday.
The governor made the announcement as work on the wall was beginning, but Yuma County Supervisor Jonathan Lines tells KAWC, it’s been in the works for a while.
"This isn't something that started yesterday or last week," he said. "We have been working on getting the permissions from land owners over the last couple of months and ensuring that all the paperwork was correct, and anticipating that the federal government would step up and take care of its commitment to provide national security."
Arizona Department of Homeland Security Director Tim Roemer told KAWC the barrier will be erected on a mixture of public and private lands, setting up a potential conflict with federal officials.
