Local organizers win pause to replacement wall construction at historic Friendship Park

In a major victory for local organizers and advocates outraged over the Biden administration's plans to erect 30-foot replacement border fencing at the historic Friendship Park in San Diego, U.S. officials announced on Thursday that construction plans have been temporarily paused. The community, as well as lawmakers, had raised alarms that plans did not include pedestrian gates. The historic park has over many years served as a meeting place for loved ones on both sides of the border.

In a statement, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Chris Magnus said the department had “heard concerns about the project as currently planned, and it is important to me to be responsive to the local community on this issue.”