U.S. Customs and Border Patrol will be allowed to fill gaps in the border wall in the Yuma sector. | U.S. Customs and Border Patrol
Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas has given permission to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to carry out the Yuma Morelos Dam Project, which would close four gaps in an unfinished border barrier project at the Morelos Dam, according to a news release.
The gaps are found in the former Yuma 6 project region, a border barrier project that was once sponsored by the Department of Defense's (DoD) military construction allocation, the news release said.
"These initiatives, which will be supported by DHS's fiscal year 2021 expenditures, address operational consequences as well as acute life and safety hazards," DHS said in the news release.
This location provides safety and life hazard issues for migrants seeking to cross into the United States where there is a possibility of drownings and injuries from falls due to the proximity to the Morelos Dam and the swift rushing Colorado River, the agency said.
"This project supports CBP’s and DHS’s priority to deploy modern, effective border measures and also improving safety and security along the Southwest Border," the news release said. "Prior to construction, DHS will engage in standard environmental planning and conduct stakeholder outreach and consultation. DHS will move as expeditiously as possible, while still maintaining environmental stewardship."
