Line. Fence. Wall.

What It Covers

The US-Mexico border evolved from an unmarked surveyed line in 1848 through wire fences after the 1918 Battle of Ambos Nogales to today's militarized wall system spanning 700 miles.

Key Questions Answered

• •Border Survey Origins: The first US-Mexico border survey took six years (1849-1855) to complete, covering nearly 2,000 miles with only stone obelisks as markers, through territory still controlled by indigenous peoples like Apache and Comanche tribes.
• •Operation Hold the Line Strategy: In 1993, Border Patrol Chief Silvestre Reyes deployed 400 agents in trucks every 100 yards across 20 miles of El Paso border, creating a human wall that became the national model for border militarization.
• •NAFTA Paradox: The Clinton administration simultaneously opened borders for goods through NAFTA in 1994 while building metal walls in San Diego and El Paso, doubling Border Patrol agents from previous levels within five years to balance trade liberalization.
• •Deterrence Failure: Blocking traditional crossing points in El Paso and San Diego forced migrants into the deadly Sonoran Desert rather than stopping immigration, proving desperate people will risk harsh environments when legal pathways close.