Border Wall construction Stalled as Secretary Noem’s Sign-Offs Face Scrutiny
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Meta Description: Delays in border wall construction are mounting as contracts worth billions await final approval from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, raising questions about project timelines.
Construction of the border wall is facing significant hurdles, with approximately 200 miles of already-awarded contracts stalled due to a lack of final sign-off from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, according to two sources familiar with the delays. The slowdown casts doubt on the management’s ability to meet its goal of completing nearly 2,000 miles of barriers by 2029,with only 30 miles having been fully constructed since the beginning of President Trump’s second term.
Contracts Await Noem’s Approval
An update memo on border wall construction, obtained by this publication, reveals that contracts for roughly 200 miles of barriers were awaiting Secretary Noem’s sign-off. The process involves a multi-layered review, beginning with an office dedicated to overseeing spending from the “Big Stunning Bill,” then passed to the executive secretary, and finally to Secretary Noem for her approval. Despite these procedures, a DHS spokesperson, Tricia McLaughlin, asserted in a statement that “there are currently no border wall related contracts pending the Secretary” and that Secretary noem reviewed over a thousand border security-related contracts last year.
Discretion and Delays
While Secretary Noem has the discretion to approve these contracts, an official indicated that sign-offs typically occur within 24 hours of reaching her office. The official noted that she has, at times, signed large volumes of contracts and memos in a single session. Secretary Noem is scheduled to hold a press conference in Nogales, Arizona on Wednesday to provide “a major border wall update.”
The current situation unfolds against a backdrop of 720 miles of primary and secondary border wall already in place when the administration took office. in October and December of 2025, DHS announced the first border wall contracts, totaling $8 billion, funded by the $46.5 billion allocated by Congress last July through the “Big Beautiful Bill.” (McLaughlin stated that spending has since reached $12 billion.) These awards are intended to add 412 miles of “Smart Wall” physical barriers and 400 miles of technology investments, according to official press releases.
As of January 28, 2026, 83 miles of physical barriers – encompassing primary walls, water barriers, and secondary walls – were under construction, according to Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) “Smart Wall” map. Though, only 30 miles have been completed as January 20, 2025.A substantial 1,168 miles of the border wall structure, including replacement sections, remains in the planning phase.
Vice President vance, during a border visit last March, articulated a vision of completing the wall-a combination of physical barriers and technology-by the end of the President’s second term. The congressional funding allocated for this project remains available through the end of fiscal year 2029.
Land Acquisition and Broader Concerns
The biggest obstacle to accelerating border wall construction,according to the DHS official,is securing the necessary land. “We’re looking at ways to accelerate that process,” the official said.
However, concerns extend beyond land acquisition. Lawmakers have voiced frustration with Secretary Noem’s contract sign-off system, which has also reportedly delayed funds for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and hampered dialog with legislators, as reported by NOTUS in November. A ProPublica inquiry revealed that a phone call from a donor in Naples, Florida, expedited repair funding for a historic pier that was stalled in the same sign-off pipeline.
Furthermore, Secretary Noem’s senior advisor, Corey Lewandowski, who holds the title of temporary employee but functions as a de facto chief of staff, has become increasingly involved in DHS contracting, even publicly discussing agency business.
Despite these concerns, a spokesperson for Secretary Noem emphasized the department’s commitment to fiscal duty. “The department takes its fiduciary duty to the American taxpayer seriously, putting any contract through a full review, resulting in over $13 Billion saved under Secretary Noem,” McLaughlin stated. CBP did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
