In a significant development, the Trump administration is swiftly constructing a high-tech barrier along the U.S.-Mexico border, referred to as a "smart wall." This structure comprises 30-foot-tall steel fencing, coupled with sophisticated technology such as sensors, cameras, and towers for surveillance purposes. The project, which has received substantial funding from Congress, is under intense scrutiny due to the vast sums of money being invested at a time when border crossings are at their lowest in decades. Critics argue that the U.S. is militarizing the border with an escalating deployment of advanced surveillance technology, negatively impacting local communities. Ricky Garza, border policy counsel at the Southern Border Communities Coalition, an advocacy group, states, "We are witnessing a massive expansion of surveillance and surveillance technology across the borderlands." Officials maintain that the technology complements the physical wall and allows agents to focus on other tasks. Commissioner Rodney Scott of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) testified that it is a "smart wall" that maximizes the use of agents' resources. The project has been a priority for President Trump since his presidential campaign, with border crossings significantly decreasing under his administration. CBP aims to complete the remaining $46 billion allocated for the wall and its enforcement by constructing hundreds more miles, while avoiding construction in rugged terrain that already serves as a natural barrier. Additionally, existing walls are being retrofitted with additional technology, lighting, and roads. The use of advanced surveillance technology is making illegal crossings along the border increasingly difficult, part of a broader transformation of CBP into an intelligence operation since September 11, 2001. However, critics claim that this technology poses a threat, potentially pushing migrants towards more dangerous routes to evade detection and infringing on the privacy rights of border residents. Incidents of surveillance equipment being placed on private property without consent have been reported, raising concerns among locals. The Electronic Frontier Foundation, a nonprofit focusing on civil liberties related to digital technology, warns that the border area has become a "hostile environment" for both locals and would-be migrants due to this technology.