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Fact check: How many miles of fence stand along the U.S.-Mexico border?
December 23, 2015
By Charles Aull
Though current law mandates 700 miles of fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border, “we have only 36,” according to 2016 U.S. Senate candidate Kelli Ward (R).
We found Ward’s claim about current law mandating 700 miles of fence to be accurate, but the 36 miles of fence that she pointed out accounts for only one type of fencing. Altogether about 650 miles of fence (in varying forms) currently stand along the southern border.
Background
Kelli Ward is a former state senator from Arizona. She announced her plans to challenge former Republican presidential candidate and fifth-term U.S. Senator John McCain in July 2015, saying, “When I look at what’s happening in our federal government, I know Arizonans need new representation in the U.S. Senate, and that’s why I’m running.”[1]
In a Facebook post from earlier this month, Ward cited the United States’ border with Mexico as an example of why she thinks Arizona needs new representation in the Senate. The post reads:[2]
| “ | Border security is national security.
700 miles of fence mandated in current law - we have only 36 - no, John McCain didn't 'build the dang fence' as promised [emphasis added]. Biometric in and out system required by law - current administration ignores it. John McCain is focused on war abroad and bringing in Syrians to the US despite having a president who says we shouldn't expect a plan to win in the Middle East and a "vetting process" that has been a proven failure. Mr. McCain also joins the Democrats in calling for more gun control.[3] |
” |
Ward's quote from McCain, "build the dang fence," was in reference to McCain's last re-election bid in 2010. He ran a television ad titled "Complete the Danged Fence," which was accompanied by a website of the same name.
Her point about the 36 miles along the U.S.-Mexico border caught our eye. We wondered if that number was accurate.
The U.S.-Mexico border fence
Ward’s claim about the border fence can be broken down into two parts: “700 miles of fence mandated in current law” and “we have only 36.”
What does current law say about the border fence? According to a report from the Congressional Research Service, the primary piece of legislation mandating a fence along the U.S.-Mexico border is Section 102(b) of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (IIRIRA). This law required the federal government to construct a minimum of 700 miles of reinforced fencing along the southern border. In 2006, Congress amended the IIRIRA with the Secure Fence Act, which specified that the fence must consist of “at least 2 layers.” A third revision came in 2008 with the Consolidated Appropriations Act, which removed the two-layer fence mandate stipulated by the Secure Fence Act. No changes, however, have made been made to the IIRIRA’s original requirement that the federal government must build 700 miles of fencing.[4] The first part of Ward’s statement, then, checks out.
But how many miles of fence currently exist along the U.S.-Mexico border? Two sources address this issue: the same Congressional Research Service report mentioned above from April 8, 2015, and a report issued on November 23, 2015, by Senator Ron Johnson (R) in his role as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.[5]
Both reports listed, in total, more than 650 miles of fence, though the type of fencing is not uniform across the border. The reports show that there are three different types:
- Primary or pedestrian fencing. This type of fencing is considered “front-line” fencing and it focuses on preventing individuals on foot from crossing the border. Several different styles of primary or pedestrian fencing line the border, including wire-mesh, bollard and landing mat (for more on these styles, see this 2010 article from Popular Mechanics). There are 352.8 miles of primary or pedestrian fencing.
- Secondary fencing. This is a second layer of fencing that sits behind a layer of primary or pedestrian fencing. There are 36 miles of secondary fencing located in various regions of Arizona, Texas and California.
- Vehicle barrier fencing. This type of fencing focuses on preventing vehicle crossings. According to Ron Johnson’s report, “vehicle barrier fence consists of barriers used primarily in remote areas to prohibit vehicles engaged in drug trafficking and human smuggling operations to cross the border. These fences can be easily navigated by those on foot.”[5] Also, as noted in the April 2015 Congressional Research Report, some—including members of Congress—have argued that vehicle barrier fencing does not satisfy the IIRIRA’s definition of “fencing.”[4] There are 299.8 miles of vehicle barrier fencing.
The images below—all from the Department of Homeland Security website—provide examples of the three fencing types.[6]
- An example of pedestrian or primary fencing in southern Arizona.
- An example of pedestrian or primary fencing in southern Arizona.
- An example of secondary fencing in southern California. The secondary fence is shown in the foreground. Primary fencing can be seen in the background.
- An example of secondary fencing in southern California. The secondary fence is shown in the foreground. Primary fencing can be seen in the background.
- Examples of vehicle barrier fencing in Texas.
- Examples of vehicle barrier fencing in Texas.
What does this mean for Ward’s claim that there are only 36 miles of fence along the southern border? She seems to have counted exclusively the 36 miles with secondary fencing and disregarded the 652.6 miles of primary/pedestrian and vehicle barrier fencing. Were it not for the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2008, which removed the requirement that all fencing be “at least 2 layers,” one could argue that Ward’s claim is technically correct. The Secure Fence Act of 2006 essentially defined “fence” as a double-layered fence, of which there is currently 36 miles. Two years later, however, the Consolidated Appropriations Act dropped this requirement.
Attempts to reach Ward’s campaign for comment did not receive a response.
Conclusion
In a Facebook post from earlier this month, U.S. Senate candidate Kelli Ward stated that there are “700 miles of fence mandated in current law - we have only 36.” We found that Ward is correct about current law mandating 700 miles of fence along the southern border, but the veracity of her claim that there are “only 36” miles of fence depends on how one defines "fence." According to two government reports that we read, there are altogether about 650 miles of fencing along the southern border: 352 miles of primary fencing, 36 miles of secondary fencing and 299 miles of vehicle barrier fencing. If, in accordance with the Secure Fence Act of 2006, you only count the 36 miles outfitted with secondary fencing, then Ward is right. But if you accept the broader definition of fence allowed for by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2008—which removed the Secure Fence Act's requirement of double-layer fencing—and include primary and vehicle barrier fencing, then the number she cited is off by more than 600 miles.
Launched in October 2015 and active through October 2018, Fact Check by Ballotpedia examined claims made by elected officials, political appointees, and political candidates at the federal, state, and local levels. We evaluated claims made by politicians of all backgrounds and affiliations, subjecting them to the same objective and neutral examination process. As of 2025, Ballotpedia staff periodically review these articles to revaluate and reaffirm our conclusions. Please email us with questions, comments, or concerns about these articles. To learn more about fact-checking, click here.
Sources and Notes
- ↑ HavasuNews.com, "Havasu's Kelli Ward confirms Senate challenge against John McCain," July 14, 2015
- ↑ Kelli Ward for Arizona Facebook Page, "Border security is national security," December 5, 2015
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Congressional Research Service, "Barriers along the U.S. Borders: Key Authorities and Requirements," April 8, 2015
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, "The State of America's Border Security, Majority Staff Report," November 23, 2015
- ↑ U.S. Customs and Border Protection, "Fence and Gates Photo Gallery," accessed December 21, 2015
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