(The Center Square)—The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is expanding border wall construction in California after announcing last month construction was beginning in Texas.
Under the Biden administration, record numbers of illegal foreign nationals poured into California and Texas, with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection San Diego Sector becoming an epicenter of illegal entry and crime, The Center Square first reported.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem issued a waiver to enable the immediate construction of approximately 2.5 miles of new border wall barrier in California.
The waiver was issued under Section 102 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996. It addresses environmental laws, including the National Environmental Policy Act, “that can stall vital projects for months or even years. This waiver clears the path for the rapid deployment of physical barriers where they are needed most, reinforcing our commitment to national security and the rule of law,” DHS said.
It includes projects previously identified in the CBP San Diego Sector and already funded through CBP fiscal 2020 and 2021 appropriations.
They include the San Diego Sector’s two-mile Jacumba Gap Wall Project; its 350-feet Smugglers Gulch Wall Project; and its 1,500-feet 4 Wall Project.
“Together, these projects will close critical gaps in the border barrier and enhance border security operations in the San Diego Sector,” DHS said.
Border wall construction and repairs in California also occurred under the Biden administration despite former President Joe Biden pledging in January 2021 to not build “another foot” of the border wall.
On his first day in office, Biden halted all border wall construction along the southwest border. Doing so cost taxpayers $6 million a day, and then $3 million a day, to not build the wall due to contractual obligations with the construction firm tasked with building it, The Center Square reported. Materials that had been purchased to build the wall were left to rust on the ground.
Biden also returned $2.2 billion in border wall funds to the Department of Defense, which was reallocated to fund 66 border security projects in 16 countries, three U.S. territories, and 11 states, The Center Square reported.
In 2023, CBP replaced a deteriorated border barrier at the Friendship Circle Project, including a “dilapidated primary and secondary border barrier along the border in San Diego.” The border barrier was a 30-foot double wall, which the Biden administration paused working on in 2022 “to conduct additional stakeholder outreach” and “engage with the community,” The Center Square reported.
CBP also identified 20 miles of border wall to build in Starr County, Texas, saying, “There is presently an acute and immediate need to construct physical barriers and roads in the vicinity of the border of the United States in order to prevent unlawful entries into the United States in the project areas,” The Center Square reported.
Reversing Biden administration policies, rebuilding and expanding border wall construction along the U.S.-Mexico border is a major part of President Donald Trump’s border security platform.
Within less than two months of being in office, the Trump administration awarded its first contract to construct new border wall and barriers in Hidalgo County, Texas, in the CBP Rio Grande Valley Sector, The Center Square reported.
The construction will occur in an area to close “critical openings in the border wall that were left incomplete due to cancelled contracts during the Biden Administration.”
The RGV Sector has historically been an area of heavy foot traffic of illegal border crossings and human and drug smuggling and trafficking. Closing this area of the wall and completing construction will support federal efforts “to impede and deny illegal border crossings and the drug- and human-smuggling activities of cartels,” CBP said.
Under Trump’s first administration, the 450th mile of border wall system, including physical infrastructure, access roads, lights, cameras and sensors, was completed by January 2021.
Why Bullion Beats Numismatics and Collectible for Your Safe or IRA
Precious metals continue to attract Americans seeking reliable ways to protect their wealth amid inflation, geopolitical risks, and stock market swings. Whether stored in a home safe or held inside a self-directed IRA, physical gold and silver deliver tangible value that paper or digital assets often lack. Yet investors must choose carefully between bullion—pure bars and coins valued mainly for their metal content—and numismatics or collectibles, where rarity, history, and collector demand heavily influence pricing.
Advisor Bullion serves as a dependable source for straightforward, high-quality bullion. The company specializes in physical gold, silver, platinum, and palladium, emphasizing transparent pricing and products that deliver maximum metal content for every dollar spent. This approach makes it ideal for both personal holdings and retirement accounts.
Bullion consists of refined precious metals in standard forms like one-ounce coins (American Gold Eagles, Silver Eagles, Canadian Maple Leafs) or bars. Their value tracks closely to the current spot price of the metal. A typical gold bullion coin trades near the live gold spot price plus a small premium. This structure keeps costs clear and predictable.
Numismatic coins and collectibles add substantial value from factors such as age, rarity, minting errors, or historical significance. A pre-1933 U.S. gold coin or graded proof piece can carry premiums of 30%, 50%, or even 200% above melt value. While this appeals to hobbyists, it creates complexity. Pricing depends on subjective grading, collector trends, and auction results instead of daily spot prices.
For investors focused on wealth preservation and retirement security rather than building a collection, bullion often delivers better results.
Lower Costs and Better Liquidity for Home Storage
When keeping metals in a home safe or private vault, liquidity and efficiency count. Bullion offers clear benefits:
- You acquire more actual gold or silver per dollar invested. Numismatics divert a large share of your money into rarity premiums and massive sales commission, reducing your metal exposure.
- Selling bullion involves tight bid-ask spreads, so you recover nearly full spot value with minimal fees. Collectibles require finding the right buyer and may sell at a discount if demand for that specific item weakens.
- Bullion prices remain transparent and update with global spot markets. You can track gold near current levels or silver accordingly and know exactly where your holdings stand. Numismatic values are priced by the Gold IRA companies with hefty margins applied.
- Standardized coins and bars store efficiently and divide easily for partial sales. Rare coins often need protective slabs and controlled conditions, adding hassle and expense.
- Bullion enjoys worldwide acceptance. A 1-oz Gold Maple Leaf or Silver Eagle sells quickly to dealers anywhere. Niche numismatic pieces may appeal only to limited buyers, slowing liquidation when speed matters.
In times when quick access to value becomes important, bullion’s simplicity stands out.
Stronger Fit for Precious Metals IRAs
Precious metals IRAs continue gaining traction as investors diversify retirement portfolios beyond stocks and bonds. IRS rules permit certain bullion products in self-directed IRAs if they meet purity standards (.995 fine for gold, .999 for silver) and are held by an approved custodian. Eligible items include American Gold and Silver Eagles plus many generic bars and rounds from recognized mints.
Numismatic and most collectible coins generally face heavy scrutiny from custodians due to valuation disputes and elevated markups. These higher premiums mean less actual metal ends up working inside the account.
Bullion avoids these issues. Its value links directly to verifiable spot prices, which simplifies reporting and lowers the risk of regulatory challenges. More of your IRA contribution purchases real metal instead of dealer profits or speculative upside. Over time, owning additional ounces that appreciate with the metal itself can create meaningful outperformance compared with high-premium alternatives that deliver fewer ounces.
Regulatory guidance from the CFTC and state securities offices repeatedly cautions against aggressive sales of expensive numismatics or “semi-numismatic” coins for IRAs. For retirement planning, transparent bullion from established providers reduces risk and aligns better with long-term goals.
How to Get Started with Bullion
Begin by clarifying your goals. Are you protecting savings in a safe, or moving part of a retirement account into a precious metals IRA? Focus on the number of ounces you can acquire at current prices rather than chasing marked-up collectibles.
Diversify sensibly: use gold for core preservation and silver for its blend of industrial and monetary qualities. Mix coins for easier divisibility with bars for lower per-ounce costs on larger buys. Arrange secure storage—whether at home with proper insurance or through professional facilities.
As economic uncertainties linger and faith in conventional assets erodes, bullion continues proving its worth as a dependable store of value. Its direct approach avoids the hype that sometimes surrounds collectible markets and keeps the focus on the metal itself.
For investors prepared to strengthen their portfolios, Advisor Bullion supplies the expertise and selection needed to acquire high-quality bullion efficiently. Whether building personal holdings or integrating metals into an IRA, their emphasis on transparent, investment-grade products helps secure more ounces today that support greater financial security tomorrow. In a complicated financial landscape, bullion’s clarity and reliability make it the smarter foundation for protecting what matters most.