Donald Trump requests Congress $18 billion for border barriers

Donald Trump supporters chanted "build the wall" at his rallies, as he promised them an impenetrable, physical, tall and beautiful wall with Mexico. Not a fence.

But since the election, Trump has said parts of the wall will actually be see-through and that the barrier could also consist of fencing. His administration also seeks taxpayer money to cover the costs, though he pledged Mexico would pay for it.

Despite his post-election remarks and comments from his own staff, Trump claims that he plans to deliver what he promised.

"The Wall is the Wall, it has never changed or evolved from the first day I conceived of it. Parts will be, of necessity, see through and it was never intended to be built in areas where there is natural protection such as mountains, wastelands or tough rivers or water....." he tweeted.

Trump also maintained that Mexico would pay for it — but did not offer concrete details on how or a clear timeframe — as he asked Congress for $18 billion.

"The Wall will be paid for, directly or indirectly, or through longer term reimbursement, by Mexico, which has a ridiculous $71 billion dollar trade surplus with the U.S. The $20 billion dollar Wall is 'peanuts' compared to what Mexico makes from the U.S. NAFTA is a bad joke!" Trump tweeted.

(We've noted that the trade deficit has nothing to do with whether the Mexican government could afford to pay the wall.)

Trump gave varying figures for the cost of the wall during the campaign, from $8 billion to $12 billion.

But The Wall Street Journal reported on Jan. 5 that his administration outlined to a group of senators plans requesting nearly $18 billion to build new and replacement barriers along more than 700 miles of the nearly 2,000-mile long U.S.-Mexico border.

The administration's document called for a barrier, referred to as a "wall system," but officials did not specify where it would be constructed, The Wall Street Journal reported. Trump's administration asked for $9.3 billion over the first five years and $8.7 billion over the next five years, the newspaper reported.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection would not confirm to PolitiFact the details reported by The Wall Street Journal, and the White House did not respond to requests for information.

At an immigration meeting between Trump and a group of bipartisan lawmakers on Jan. 9, Democratic Sen. Mazie K. Hirono, of Hawaii, asked Trump if it was still his position that he wanted $18 billion for a wall or there would be no deal for young immigrants who came to the United States as children and are now at risk of deportation.

"Yeah. I can build it for less, by the way," Trump responded.

The $18 billion for the border barrier is part of a $33 billion package, which also requests $5.7 billion for towers, surveillance equipment and other technology; $1 billion for road construction and maintenance; and $8.5 billion for border security personnel, according to The Wall Street Journal.

A CBP spokesman told PolitiFact officials are still testing and evaluating wall prototypes built in California.

It's unclear if lawmakers will approve Trump's request for border barriers. A taxpayer-funded border wall would be a departure from Trump's repeated promises of Mexico covering the costs.

Pending appropriations and construction, Trump's border wall promise remains In the Works.