New border wall construction begins in California

NEW YORK (FOX 5 NY) - The installation of 11 new miles of border wall began on Thursday in Calexico, California.

The project includes the construction of 30-foot tall steel bollards and what the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency says are technology improvements.

The new border wall system replaces what officials called "dilapidated and outdated" designs. 

The construction start for this project was announced earlier this month, along with the new border wall project in Tecate, California.

Construction for both of these projects, which total approximately 15 miles, is anticipated to continue into 2020 and are funded under a 2018 appropriation separate from President Trump's National Emergency Declaration.

SLSCO Ltd. is being paid approximately $127 million for the new border wall system in the El Centro and San Diego sectors of the border agency's control.

The San Diego and El Centro Sectors are areas of high illegal entry and are experiencing large numbers of individuals and narcotics being smuggled into the country.

Officials say the new wall will help to impede and deny illegal border crossings and drug and human smuggling activity.