And the Government Accountability Office says that as the Obama administration begins to understand the long-term costs of the border fence, it doesn't have a way to evaluate whether this investment has helped control the flow of undocumented immigrants into the country.
The $6.5 billion price tag is in addition to the $2.4 billion that's already been spent to build fence segments along the U.S.-Mexico border. The fence is a Bush administration initiative that has faced several delays and cost increases. The GAO says the technology portion of the government's plan to secure the border continues to be delayed.