Alabama contractor, Caddell, one of six finalists to build The Wall

Who will pay for the wall might remain up for debate, but we’re rapidly approaching an answer to who will build the wall.  One Alabama firm has made the shortlist!  Caddell Construction, out of Montgomery, AL, will build two types of wall near San Diego, according to the BBJ.

Playing catch-up

Despite lagging behind schedule, thanks to protests from failed bidders, construction of proof-of-concept wall segments by Caddell and five others will continue.  The firms will build eight total proof-of-concept segments: half with concrete, and half without.  Contractors have one month to finish their example projects.

Hurdles

If several plaintiffs have their way, construction will face further delays such as environmental impact testing.  Other non-plaintiffs, such as pro-DACA group Alliance San Diego, claim the wall cannot be built as no funds have yet been officially appropriated.  No votes explicitly funding or denying funds for the wall have come up in either the House or the Senate.  However, a long-touted form of initial funding has been around since 2006, in the form of HR6061, which grants the Secretary of Homeland Security broad authority to secure all borders against “all unlawful U.S. entries, including entries by terrorists, other unlawful aliens, instruments of terrorism, narcotics, and other contraband.”  A legal challenge against this, too, has been raised, claiming that the section of the bill which explicitly mentions a wall legally expired 18 months after passage.

Quiet confidence

Representatives from Caddell have told other outlets that their policies forbid employees from talking about government contracts.  However, Caddell has previously won 31 first-place design awards, largely from the Associated Builders and Contractors trade association.  Whatever you might think of the wall, I think we’re all rooting for Caddell to take another first place for Alabama!