Fort Knox Troops Build a Silver Snake on the Rio Grande
When the sun was still a half‑sleepy halo over Laredo, a squad of about 100 American engineers from the 19th Battalion had a speedy gig: stringing up a shoulder‑high wall of concertina wire along the river. The result looks like a glittering serpent snaking around the green banks, a one‑size‑fits‑all fence that stretches until your eyes hit the horizon.
Why Do They Even Do This?
President Trump rolled out a wave of 5,800 troops to put a bulwark on the border in a bid to stop huge caravan shipments head‑long toward the U.S. Critics have slammed it as a “political stunt” designed to pump up the loyalists ahead of the midterms. The wall is the most eye‑catching part of the scheme: a physical tripwire that nudges would‑be refugees toward official checkpoints.
“Border Stop‑Go!” – The Wall‑Builders’ Tale
- A trio of 19th Engineers fashioned 18 strips of metal wire, cutting and weaving each into a jagged tapestry. Each strip was tied to a green pole hammered into the ground like a metal stake.
- Once the wall was up, troops unfurled their camo work gear, taking a few friendly bites out of the barbs along the way.
- The work ran for three days, finishing on a breezy morning that felt fresh and strong. The result: one gleaming ribbon of defense hugging the Rio Grande.
Local Reaction? Mixed – Sometimes Cheerful, Sometimes Sardonic
Lieutenant Alan Koepnick’s pipe‑smoking squad was marching across a quiet riverside park while folks were strolling dogs and grilling sausages. The troops were met with a mix of applause and skepticism. Koepnick told AFP that some Laredo locals were tense about the fence and the presence of U.S. soldiers, but that many supported the effort. “Some folks dumped cakes and water on us. Others yanked at us in Spanish,” the lieutenant recalled.
Co‑ops on the Mexican side of the river tossed bottles at the troops. But on the U.S. side they felt the atmosphere was livelier and friendlier. Though the soldiers were unarmed, a cadre of military police stood by to provide “force protection.” The troops themselves did not have any direct engagement with migrants—by law, they are not allowed to act as domestic law enforcers.
Trump’s “National Emergency” and the Wall‑Game
In the lead‑up to Nov. 6, Trump described a “national emergency” and dubbed the caravan an “invasion” of “bad thugs and gang members.” That pumping rhetoric helped keep the camera on the wall, prompting him to applaud the troops the week after: “They built a great frame—you’re making the great fencing for the border.”
The president has set his sights on a monolithic wall all the way along the 3,200 km border, but for now, the bulk of the caravan shipments have slipped past US troops and headed for Tijuana instead. The U.S. cutting wall moves sporadically over time. It is unclear what will become of the wire fence after the mission wraps Up on December 15.
What Does the Border Do After 3,000‑Man Walls?
In Laredo, the heavy cross‑border buses of refugees never made it. Instead, they bypassed the town and headed for Tijuana, where Customs and Border Protection claimed they had already smuggled 3,000 people into the city. However, CBP agents still rely on the U.S. military’s extra muscle each day. The openly unscrupulous migrants attempting the 48‑km stretch of Rio stay far from the fence’s glare.
Although the military plans to finish the operation on December 15, the ultimate fate of the fence remains up to the wind—lists came in the wind, and the fencing is now littered with trash, jackets and plastic bags, and a big thorny monsoon is dominating the career.
When Lt. Koepnick had a “fancy” question about the fence, he remained jovial. “If we are told to take it down, we will take it down,” he promised.
