Scoop: 200 miles of Trump's border wall held up by Noem's DHS

Border wall construction is facing delays due to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's slow contract approval process. Approximately 200 miles of awarded border wall contracts await her final signature, stalling progress. Only 30 miles of new barriers have been completed since the start of the current presidential term. The contracts are undergoing reviews, with some only recently reaching DHS headquarters. Noem’s approval typically takes 24 hours, but the process is slower than usual. She is scheduled to announce a border wall update in Arizona. New funding from Congress is available through the end of fiscal year 2029 to complete the project. A significant challenge is acquiring land for construction, officials say. Lawmakers have criticized Noem’s sign-off system; it has also delayed other funding. Some waivers have been approved to bypass construction hurdles. DHS defends the review process and says it has saved billions of dollars.