HARLINGEN, Texas (Border Report) -- The Department of Homeland Security announced Friday it has awarded $4.5 billion worth of contracts to build 230 new miles of border barrier along the Southwest border, including 80 miles of "waterborne barrier" to be installed in the Rio Grande in South Texas.

About 17 miles of waterborne barrier will be built in Cameron County south of the border town of Brownsville at a cost of $96.1 million. The barrier, which is expected to be constructed toward the Gulf and just south of SpaceX, was awarded to BCCG Joint Venture, of Montgomery, Alabama, DHS said.

Contracts for two other waterborne projects -- a 23-mile long project, and another 40 miles long -- also were awarded to BCCG Joint Venture. The barrier is to be built in the Del Rio Sector near Eagle Pa

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