World SECTIONS Iran war Russia-Ukraine war Español China Asia Pacific Latin America Europe Africa TOP STORIES UK's leader calls for reflection after the death of former Cambridge professor accused of plagiarism Newsletters The Afternoon Wire Our personalization engine sends you what you may have missed throughout the day. The Morning Wire Our flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day. See All Newsletters UK's leader calls for reflection after the death of former Cambridge professor accused of plagiarism U.S. SECTIONS Immigration Weather Education Transportation Abortion LGBTQ+ Notable Deaths America at 250 TOP STORIES Police have arrested a 19-year-old in connection with Virginia State University shooting Hurricane Lala skirts Hawaii's Big Island without making landfall as heavy wind, rain lash region Teen boy among 6 dead including suspect in Michigan shootings; girl survived Newsletters The Afternoon Wire Our personalization engine sends you what you may have missed throughout the day. See All Newsletters AP QUIZZES Weekly News Quiz Police have arrested a 19-year-old in connection with Virginia State University shooting Hurricane Lala skirts Hawaii's Big Island without making landfall as heavy wind, rain lash region Teen boy among 6 dead including suspect in Michigan shootings; girl survived Politics SECTIONS 2026 Elections Election Results Election calendar White House Congress Supreme Court The latest AP-NORC polls TOP STORIES The buck stops somewhere else: A look at Trump's tendency to avoid blame when things go awry US pulls last aircraft carrier in Asia as Trump focuses on Iran and the Western Hemisphere Democratic primary turnout has soared in some states. Can it carry over to November? Newsletters Ground Game Your guide to the biggest stories in politics, policy and U.S. elections. See All Newsletters The buck stops somewhere else: A look at Trump's tendency to avoid blame when things go awry US pulls last aircraft carrier in Asia as Trump focuses on Iran and the Western Hemisphere Democratic primary turnout has soared in some states. Can it carry over to November? Sports SECTIONS NFL College football MLB NBA WNBA Soccer Tennis Golf TOP STORIES Michael Phelps returns poolside with his sons as 8-year-old Beckett eyes swimming Joshua Báez first player to homer in first 3 at-bats in the majors, leads Cardinals past Cubs 8-4 WNBA icons say the discourse and scrutiny around the league are part of the growing pains of success Newsletters AP Top 25 Poll Alerts Get email alerts for every college football Top 25 Poll release. The Sports Wire Get AP’s in-depth sports reporting tailored to your interests. See All Newsletters Michael Phelps returns poolside with his sons as 8-year-old Beckett eyes swimming Joshua Báez first player to homer in first 3 at-bats in the majors, leads Cardinals past Cubs 8-4 WNBA icons say the discourse and scrutiny around the league are part of the growing pains of success Entertainment SECTIONS Movies Fashion Television Celebrity Interviews Music Books TOP STORIES Bonnie Tyler fans line the streets of a Welsh village as her coffin is brought home Adam Driver will play Mister Sinister and Inde Navarrette will go Rogue in Marvel’s 'X-Men' reboot Newsletters AP Entertainment Wire AP’s entertainment, media, fashion and culture coverage, personalized to your interests. See All Newsletters Bonnie Tyler fans line the streets of a Welsh village as her coffin is brought home Adam Driver will play Mister Sinister and Inde Navarrette will go Rogue in Marvel’s 'X-Men' reboot Business SECTIONS Tariffs Inflation Financial Markets Financial Wellness Technology TOP STORIES Berkshire Hathaway boosted stake in Alphabet, homebuilders in the second quarter Wall Street week ahead: Home Depot and Walmart report earnings, minutes of Fed meeting are released America In Focus: Inflation cools in July, but so do consumers with their spending Berkshire Hathaway boosted stake in Alphabet, homebuilders in the second quarter Wall Street week ahead: Home Depot and Walmart report earnings, minutes of Fed meeting are released America In Focus: Inflation cools in July, but so do consumers with their spending Oddities TOP STORIES Capybaras keep their chill while crashing Brazilian legislature A humpback whale briefly swallows kayaker in Chilean Patagonia — and it's all captured on camera Whale surfaces, capsizes fishing boat off New Hampshire coast Viral phenomenon in Argentina has young people identifying themselves as animals A driver faces up to $110,000 in fines for speeding on a Swiss street. But he can afford it Ghana's fantasy coffins are a colorful celebration of life and legacy Capybaras keep their chill while crashing Brazilian legislature A humpback whale briefly swallows kayaker in Chilean Patagonia — and it's all captured on camera Whale surfaces, capsizes fishing boat off New Hampshire coast Viral phenomenon in Argentina has young people identifying themselves as animals A driver faces up to $110,000 in fines for speeding on a Swiss street. But he can afford it Ghana's fantasy coffins are a colorful celebration of life and legacy Be Well SECTIONS Trending Better health At home Working well For the climate Eating well TOP STORIES Bedbugs can cause people to lose sleep — and blood. Here's what to do about them Challenging your brain helps keep it healthy. Here's how to do it Being a night owl may not be great for your heart but you can do something about it Bedbugs can cause people to lose sleep — and blood. Here's what to do about them Challenging your brain helps keep it healthy. Here's how to do it Being a night owl may not be great for your heart but you can do something about it Photography SECTIONS Photo Essays TOP STORIES Diving into the blue sky, watched by the Eiffel Tower AP Top Photos of the Month, September 2024 How a photographer centered one woman amid the destruction of a Spokane wildfire Newsletters The World in Pictures Get special access to AP's most compelling images from our global team of photojournalists. See All Newsletters Diving into the blue sky, watched by the Eiffel Tower AP Top Photos of the Month, September 2024 How a photographer centered one woman amid the destruction of a Spokane wildfire AP Investigations Climate SECTIONS Indigenous peoples and climate Climate Questions Climate Migration India Focus TOP STORIES Peru steps up fight against illegal gold mining as activity enters protected Amazon reserve The warming climate is forcing marathons to consider changes to keep runners cool Oppressive heat, high humidity grip much of the US as students start a new school year Peru steps up fight against illegal gold mining as activity enters protected Amazon reserve The warming climate is forcing marathons to consider changes to keep runners cool Oppressive heat, high humidity grip much of the US as students start a new school year Health TOP STORIES Bedbugs can cause people to lose sleep — and blood. Here's what to do about them Obesity drugs show early promise against the hormonal disorder PMOS, giving a suffering family hope Trump signs order calling for spacing out childhood vaccines, against medical groups' guidance Appeals court sides with Trump in fight over subpoena of gender-affirming care provider Challenging your brain helps keep it healthy. Here's how to do it Being a night owl may not be great for your heart but you can do something about it Bedbugs can cause people to lose sleep — and blood. Here's what to do about them Obesity drugs show early promise against the hormonal disorder PMOS, giving a suffering family hope Trump signs order calling for spacing out childhood vaccines, against medical groups' guidance Appeals court sides with Trump in fight over subpoena of gender-affirming care provider Challenging your brain helps keep it healthy. Here's how to do it Being a night owl may not be great for your heart but you can do something about it Tech SECTIONS Artificial Intelligence Social Media TOP STORIES Jury finds Instagram and YouTube liable in a landmark social media addiction trial His son died after a sextortion scheme. He's among many parents celebrating the rulings against Meta One Tech Tip: Don't use rice for your device. Here's how to dry out your smartphone Jury finds Instagram and YouTube liable in a landmark social media addiction trial His son died after a sextortion scheme. He's among many parents celebrating the rulings against Meta One Tech Tip: Don't use rice for your device. Here's how to dry out your smartphone Lifestyle SECTIONS Food & Recipes Gardening Fashion Homes Travel Pets TOP STORIES Pull up to the window, please, for a glimpse of an American icon: The drive-thru How to test your lawn for grubs and what to do if you find them How clocks, calendars and time zones came to be Pull up to the window, please, for a glimpse of an American icon: The drive-thru How to test your lawn for grubs and what to do if you find them How clocks, calendars and time zones came to be Religion TOP STORIES Europe's tallest statue of the Virgin Mary is inaugurated in a small Polish village Israel’s Christians rely on faith and allies as they fear rising harassment A look at the history and beliefs behind Japan’s controversial shrine to the war dead Newsletters World of Faith Comprehensive global coverage of how religion shapes our world. See All Newsletters Europe's tallest statue of the Virgin Mary is inaugurated in a small Polish village Israel’s Christians rely on faith and allies as they fear rising harassment A look at the history and beliefs behind Japan’s controversial shrine to the war dead Español SECTIONS Política de EEUU Deportes TOP STORIES Terremoto frente a Indonesia deja al menos 47 muertos y edificios derrumbados Mientras el Talibán cumple 5 años en el poder en Afganistán, la ONU alerta de crisis de derechos Fans de Bonnie Tyler llenan las calles de pueblo galés para su funeral Terremoto frente a Indonesia deja al menos 47 muertos y edificios derrumbados Mientras el Talibán cumple 5 años en el poder en Afganistán, la ONU alerta de crisis de derechos Fans de Bonnie Tyler llenan las calles de pueblo galés para su funeral Most watched videos AP News Code of Conduct World Iran war Russia-Ukraine war Español China Asia Pacific Latin America Europe Africa Middle East U.S. Immigration Weather Education Transportation Abortion LGBTQ+ Notable Deaths America at 250 Politics 2026 Elections Election Results Election calendar White House Congress Supreme Court The latest AP-NORC polls Sports NFL College football MLB NBA WNBA Soccer Tennis Tennis Golf Auto Racing Entertainment Movies Fashion Television Celebrity Interviews Music Books Business Tariffs Inflation Financial Markets Financial Wellness Technology Science Space Animals The Ancient World Climate Medicine Newsletters Quizzes Games Fact Check Oddities Be Well Trending Better health At home Working well For the climate Eating well Photography Photo Essays AP Investigations Climate Indigenous peoples and climate Climate Questions Climate Migration India Focus Health Tech Artificial Intelligence Social Media Lifestyle Food & Recipes Gardening Fashion Homes Travel Pets Religion Español Política de EEUU Deportes Most watched videos Standards Press Releases My Account AP News Code of Conduct World Iran war Russia-Ukraine war Español China Asia Pacific Latin America Europe Africa Middle East Russia-Ukraine war U.S. Immigration Weather Education Transportation Abortion LGBTQ+ Notable Deaths America at 250 Politics 2026 Elections Election Results Election calendar White House Congress Supreme Court The latest AP-NORC polls Election Results Election calendar The latest AP-NORC polls Sports NFL College football MLB NBA WNBA Soccer Tennis Tennis Golf Auto Racing College football Entertainment Movies Fashion Television Celebrity Interviews Music Books Celebrity Interviews Business Tariffs Inflation Financial Markets Financial Wellness Technology Financial Markets Financial Wellness Science Space Animals The Ancient World Climate Medicine The Ancient World Be Well Trending Better health At home Working well For the climate Eating well For the climate Photography Photo Essays AP Investigations Climate Indigenous peoples and climate Climate Questions Climate Migration India Focus Indigenous peoples and climate Climate Questions Climate Migration Tech Artificial Intelligence Social Media Artificial Intelligence Lifestyle Food & Recipes Gardening Fashion Homes Travel Pets Español Política de EEUU Deportes Política de EEUU Most watched videos AP News Code of Conduct World Iran war Russia-Ukraine war Español China Asia Pacific Latin America Europe Africa Middle East Russia-Ukraine war U.S. Immigration Weather Education Transportation Abortion LGBTQ+ Notable Deaths America at 250 Politics 2026 Elections Election Results Election calendar White House Congress Supreme Court The latest AP-NORC polls Election Results Election calendar The latest AP-NORC polls Sports NFL College football MLB NBA WNBA Soccer Tennis Tennis Golf Auto Racing College football Entertainment Movies Fashion Television Celebrity Interviews Music Books Celebrity Interviews Business Tariffs Inflation Financial Markets Financial Wellness Technology Financial Markets Financial Wellness Science Space Animals The Ancient World Climate Medicine The Ancient World Be Well Trending Better health At home Working well For the climate Eating well For the climate Photography Photo Essays AP Investigations Climate Indigenous peoples and climate Climate Questions Climate Migration India Focus Indigenous peoples and climate Climate Questions Climate Migration Tech Artificial Intelligence Social Media Artificial Intelligence Lifestyle Food & Recipes Gardening Fashion Homes Travel Pets Español Política de EEUU Deportes Política de EEUU Most watched videos AP News Code of Conduct World SECTIONS Iran war Russia-Ukraine war Español China Asia Pacific Latin America Europe Africa TOP STORIES UK's leader calls for reflection after the death of former Cambridge professor accused of plagiarism Newsletters The Afternoon Wire Our personalization engine sends you what you may have missed throughout the day. The Morning Wire Our flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day. See All Newsletters UK's leader calls for reflection after the death of former Cambridge professor accused of plagiarism U.S. SECTIONS Immigration Weather Education Transportation Abortion LGBTQ+ Notable Deaths America at 250 TOP STORIES Police have arrested a 19-year-old in connection with Virginia State University shooting Hurricane Lala skirts Hawaii's Big Island without making landfall as heavy wind, rain lash region Teen boy among 6 dead including suspect in Michigan shootings; girl survived Newsletters The Afternoon Wire Our personalization engine sends you what you may have missed throughout the day. See All Newsletters AP QUIZZES Weekly News Quiz Police have arrested a 19-year-old in connection with Virginia State University shooting Hurricane Lala skirts Hawaii's Big Island without making landfall as heavy wind, rain lash region Teen boy among 6 dead including suspect in Michigan shootings; girl survived Politics SECTIONS 2026 Elections Election Results Election calendar White House Congress Supreme Court The latest AP-NORC polls TOP STORIES The buck stops somewhere else: A look at Trump's tendency to avoid blame when things go awry US pulls last aircraft carrier in Asia as Trump focuses on Iran and the Western Hemisphere Democratic primary turnout has soared in some states. Can it carry over to November? Newsletters Ground Game Your guide to the biggest stories in politics, policy and U.S. elections. See All Newsletters The buck stops somewhere else: A look at Trump's tendency to avoid blame when things go awry US pulls last aircraft carrier in Asia as Trump focuses on Iran and the Western Hemisphere Democratic primary turnout has soared in some states. Can it carry over to November? Sports SECTIONS NFL College football MLB NBA WNBA Soccer Tennis Golf TOP STORIES Michael Phelps returns poolside with his sons as 8-year-old Beckett eyes swimming Joshua Báez first player to homer in first 3 at-bats in the majors, leads Cardinals past Cubs 8-4 WNBA icons say the discourse and scrutiny around the league are part of the growing pains of success Newsletters AP Top 25 Poll Alerts Get email alerts for every college football Top 25 Poll release. The Sports Wire Get AP’s in-depth sports reporting tailored to your interests. See All Newsletters Michael Phelps returns poolside with his sons as 8-year-old Beckett eyes swimming Joshua Báez first player to homer in first 3 at-bats in the majors, leads Cardinals past Cubs 8-4 WNBA icons say the discourse and scrutiny around the league are part of the growing pains of success Entertainment SECTIONS Movies Fashion Television Celebrity Interviews Music Books TOP STORIES Bonnie Tyler fans line the streets of a Welsh village as her coffin is brought home Adam Driver will play Mister Sinister and Inde Navarrette will go Rogue in Marvel’s 'X-Men' reboot Newsletters AP Entertainment Wire AP’s entertainment, media, fashion and culture coverage, personalized to your interests. See All Newsletters Bonnie Tyler fans line the streets of a Welsh village as her coffin is brought home Adam Driver will play Mister Sinister and Inde Navarrette will go Rogue in Marvel’s 'X-Men' reboot Business SECTIONS Tariffs Inflation Financial Markets Financial Wellness Technology TOP STORIES Berkshire Hathaway boosted stake in Alphabet, homebuilders in the second quarter Wall Street week ahead: Home Depot and Walmart report earnings, minutes of Fed meeting are released America In Focus: Inflation cools in July, but so do consumers with their spending Berkshire Hathaway boosted stake in Alphabet, homebuilders in the second quarter Wall Street week ahead: Home Depot and Walmart report earnings, minutes of Fed meeting are released America In Focus: Inflation cools in July, but so do consumers with their spending Oddities TOP STORIES Capybaras keep their chill while crashing Brazilian legislature A humpback whale briefly swallows kayaker in Chilean Patagonia — and it's all captured on camera Whale surfaces, capsizes fishing boat off New Hampshire coast Viral phenomenon in Argentina has young people identifying themselves as animals A driver faces up to $110,000 in fines for speeding on a Swiss street. But he can afford it Ghana's fantasy coffins are a colorful celebration of life and legacy Capybaras keep their chill while crashing Brazilian legislature

A humpback whale briefly swallows kayaker in Chilean Patagonia — and it's all captured on camera Whale surfaces, capsizes fishing boat off New Hampshire coast Viral phenomenon in Argentina has young people identifying themselves as animals A driver faces up to $110,000 in fines for speeding on a Swiss street. But he can afford it Ghana's fantasy coffins are a colorful celebration of life and legacy Be Well SECTIONS Trending Better health At home Working well For the climate Eating well TOP STORIES Bedbugs can cause people to lose sleep — and blood. Here's what to do about them Challenging your brain helps keep it healthy. Here's how to do it Being a night owl may not be great for your heart but you can do something about it Bedbugs can cause people to lose sleep — and blood. Here's what to do about them Challenging your brain helps keep it healthy. Here's how to do it Being a night owl may not be great for your heart but you can do something about it Photography SECTIONS Photo Essays TOP STORIES Diving into the blue sky, watched by the Eiffel Tower AP Top Photos of the Month, September 2024 How a photographer centered one woman amid the destruction of a Spokane wildfire Newsletters The World in Pictures Get special access to AP's most compelling images from our global team of photojournalists. See All Newsletters Diving into the blue sky, watched by the Eiffel Tower AP Top Photos of the Month, September 2024 How a photographer centered one woman amid the destruction of a Spokane wildfire AP Investigations Climate SECTIONS Indigenous peoples and climate Climate Questions Climate Migration India Focus TOP STORIES Peru steps up fight against illegal gold mining as activity enters protected Amazon reserve The warming climate is forcing marathons to consider changes to keep runners cool Oppressive heat, high humidity grip much of the US as students start a new school year Peru steps up fight against illegal gold mining as activity enters protected Amazon reserve The warming climate is forcing marathons to consider changes to keep runners cool Oppressive heat, high humidity grip much of the US as students start a new school year Health TOP STORIES Bedbugs can cause people to lose sleep — and blood. Here's what to do about them Obesity drugs show early promise against the hormonal disorder PMOS, giving a suffering family hope Trump signs order calling for spacing out childhood vaccines, against medical groups' guidance Appeals court sides with Trump in fight over subpoena of gender-affirming care provider Challenging your brain helps keep it healthy. Here's how to do it Being a night owl may not be great for your heart but you can do something about it Bedbugs can cause people to lose sleep — and blood. Here's what to do about them Obesity drugs show early promise against the hormonal disorder PMOS, giving a suffering family hope Trump signs order calling for spacing out childhood vaccines, against medical groups' guidance Appeals court sides with Trump in fight over subpoena of gender-affirming care provider Challenging your brain helps keep it healthy. Here's how to do it Being a night owl may not be great for your heart but you can do something about it Tech SECTIONS Artificial Intelligence Social Media TOP STORIES Jury finds Instagram and YouTube liable in a landmark social media addiction trial His son died after a sextortion scheme. He's among many parents celebrating the rulings against Meta One Tech Tip: Don't use rice for your device. Here's how to dry out your smartphone Jury finds Instagram and YouTube liable in a landmark social media addiction trial His son died after a sextortion scheme. He's among many parents celebrating the rulings against Meta One Tech Tip: Don't use rice for your device. Here's how to dry out your smartphone Lifestyle SECTIONS Food & Recipes Gardening Fashion Homes Travel Pets TOP STORIES Pull up to the window, please, for a glimpse of an American icon: The drive-thru How to test your lawn for grubs and what to do if you find them How clocks, calendars and time zones came to be Pull up to the window, please, for a glimpse of an American icon: The drive-thru How to test your lawn for grubs and what to do if you find them How clocks, calendars and time zones came to be Religion TOP STORIES Europe's tallest statue of the Virgin Mary is inaugurated in a small Polish village Israel’s Christians rely on faith and allies as they fear rising harassment A look at the history and beliefs behind Japan’s controversial shrine to the war dead Newsletters World of Faith Comprehensive global coverage of how religion shapes our world. See All Newsletters Europe's tallest statue of the Virgin Mary is inaugurated in a small Polish village Israel’s Christians rely on faith and allies as they fear rising harassment A look at the history and beliefs behind Japan’s controversial shrine to the war dead Español SECTIONS Política de EEUU Deportes TOP STORIES Terremoto frente a Indonesia deja al menos 47 muertos y edificios derrumbados Mientras el Talibán cumple 5 años en el poder en Afganistán, la ONU alerta de crisis de derechos Fans de Bonnie Tyler llenan las calles de pueblo galés para su funeral Terremoto frente a Indonesia deja al menos 47 muertos y edificios derrumbados Mientras el Talibán cumple 5 años en el poder en Afganistán, la ONU alerta de crisis de derechos Fans de Bonnie Tyler llenan las calles de pueblo galés para su funeral Most watched videos AP News Code of Conduct World Iran war Russia-Ukraine war Español China Asia Pacific Latin America Europe Africa Middle East U.S. Immigration Weather Education Transportation Abortion LGBTQ+ Notable Deaths America at 250 Politics 2026 Elections Election Results Election calendar White House Congress Supreme Court The latest AP-NORC polls Sports NFL College football MLB NBA WNBA Soccer Tennis Tennis Golf Auto Racing Entertainment Movies Fashion Television Celebrity Interviews Music Books Business Tariffs Inflation Financial Markets Financial Wellness Technology Science Space Animals The Ancient World Climate Medicine Newsletters Quizzes Games Fact Check Oddities Be Well Trending Better health At home Working well For the climate Eating well Photography Photo Essays AP Investigations Climate Indigenous peoples and climate Climate Questions Climate Migration India Focus Health Tech Artificial Intelligence Social Media Lifestyle Food & Recipes Gardening Fashion Homes Travel Pets Religion Español Política de EEUU Deportes Most watched videos Standards Press Releases My Account AP News Code of Conduct World Iran war Russia-Ukraine war Español China Asia Pacific Latin America Europe Africa Middle East Russia-Ukraine war U.S. Immigration Weather Education Transportation Abortion LGBTQ+ Notable Deaths America at 250 Politics 2026 Elections Election Results Election calendar White House Congress Supreme Court The latest AP-NORC polls Election Results Election calendar The latest AP-NORC polls Sports NFL College football MLB NBA WNBA Soccer Tennis Tennis Golf Auto Racing College football Entertainment Movies Fashion Television Celebrity Interviews Music Books Celebrity Interviews Business Tariffs Inflation Financial Markets Financial Wellness Technology Financial Markets Financial Wellness Science Space Animals The Ancient World Climate Medicine The Ancient World Be Well Trending Better health At home Working well For the climate Eating well For the climate Photography Photo Essays AP Investigations Climate Indigenous peoples and climate Climate Questions Climate Migration India Focus Indigenous peoples and climate Climate Questions Climate Migration Tech Artificial Intelligence Social Media Artificial Intelligence Lifestyle Food & Recipes Gardening Fashion Homes Travel Pets Español Política de EEUU Deportes Política de EEUU Most watched videos AP News Code of Conduct World Iran war Russia-Ukraine war Español China Asia Pacific Latin America Europe Africa Middle East Russia-Ukraine war U.S. Immigration Weather Education Transportation Abortion LGBTQ+ Notable Deaths America at 250 Politics 2026 Elections Election Results Election calendar White House Congress Supreme Court The latest AP-NORC polls Election Results Election calendar The latest AP-NORC polls Sports NFL College football MLB NBA WNBA Soccer Tennis Tennis Golf Auto Racing College football Entertainment Movies Fashion Television Celebrity Interviews Music Books Celebrity Interviews Business Tariffs Inflation Financial Markets Financial Wellness Technology Financial Markets Financial Wellness Science Space Animals The Ancient World Climate Medicine The Ancient World Be Well Trending Better health At home Working well For the climate Eating well For the climate Photography Photo Essays AP Investigations Climate Indigenous peoples and climate Climate Questions Climate Migration India Focus Indigenous peoples and climate Climate Questions Climate Migration Tech Artificial Intelligence Social Media Artificial Intelligence Lifestyle Food & Recipes Gardening Fashion Homes Travel Pets Español Política de EEUU Deportes Política de EEUU Most watched videos AP News Code of Conduct Trump administration’s $46 billion ‘smart wall’ races ahead on the US-Mexico border Surveillance technology used by various law enforcement sit on a tower at the border wall, July 28, 2025, in Douglas, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File) Army soldiers look at the border wall next to a surveillance vehicle during the visit to the U.S. and Mexico border by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in Sunland Park, N.M., Feb. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Andres Leighton, File) Concertina wire lines the interior of a border wall separating Tijuana, Mexico, from the United States, June 4, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull, File) Migrants walk past large buoys being used as a floating border barrier on the Rio Grande, Aug. 1, 2023, in Eagle Pass, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File) Copy Link copied PHOENIX (AP) — For decades, all that separated the U.S. from Mexico was barbed wire. Now, after a massive infusion of cash from Congress , President Donald Trump’s administration is swiftly building what it has dubbed a “smart wall,” a combination of 30-foot-tall (9-meter-tall) steel fencing and an array of sophisticated technology like sensors, cameras and towers allowing Border Patrol to surveil the territory. The wall is under heavy scrutiny for the billions of dollars being dedicated to it when border crossings are at their lowest in decades. Critics say the U.S. is militarizing the border as it increasingly deploys sophisticated surveillance technology to the area, impacting local communities. “We are seeing a massive expansion of surveillance and surveillance technology across the borderlands,” said Ricky Garza, border policy counsel at the Southern Border Communities Coalition, an advocacy group. “The wall in all its forms is harmful to communities.” Officials say the technology is complementary to the physical wall and frees up agents for other tasks. “It’s a smart wall. It’s not just a barrier,” Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott said during recent congressional testimony. “It maximizes the use of our most valuable resource, which is our agents.” Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection Rodney Scott speaks in the Oval Office with President Donald Trump a the White House, June 3, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File) Contracts for hundreds of miles of wall already inked The wall has been a top priority for Trump, a Republican, since he first ran for president. During the administration of President Joe Biden, a Democrat, the border emerged as a flashpoint, with thousands of people seeking to cross into the country each day. Those numbers started to taper off shortly before Trump returned to office last year and then slowed to a trickle , with his broader immigration crackdown serving as a deterrent for would-be migrants. Flush with $46 billion to finish the wall after an infusion by Congress for immigration enforcement, CBP is inking tens of billions of dollars in contracts to build the wall and push along the president’s signature project. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said recently that a preliminary part of the wall will be finished by “this time next year.” Scott said his agency is putting up 6 miles (10 kilometers) of wall a week. Hundreds of miles had already been built before Trump returned to office. As of mid-June 2026, CBP has erected another 74 miles (119 kilometers) and aims to build hundreds more. There is no wall planned for roughly 535 miles (861 kilometers) of the roughly 2,000-mile-long (3,200-kilometer-long) border, because rugged terrain already serves as a barrier. Ground sensors and towers will be used instead. CBP is also going back to hundreds of miles of already built wall and adding more technology, lights and roads. Along the long stretches of river in Texas that mark the border with Mexico, they’re deploying 12- to 15-foot-long (3.7- to 4.5-meter-long) cylinder-shaped buoys meant to keep migrants or smugglers from crossing the border. Concertina wire lines the interior of a border wall separating Tijuana, Mexico, from the United States, June 4, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull, File) More technology being deployed on the border Technology is playing a greater role in the Trump administration’s effort to make illegal crossings along the border more difficult, part of a broader transformation of CBP in the years since Sept. 11, 2001, into an intelligence operation with a mass surveillance network whose reach extends far beyond the nation’s frontiers, according to reporting by The Associated Press . And critics say the border technology poses a threat. The Southern Border Communities Coalition says surveillance technologies can push migrants into more dangerous routes to avoid being detected. Garza, the group’s policy counsel, warned that surveillance technology infringes on the privacy rights of border residents and that locals have found ground sensors used to detect smuggler or migrant traffic placed on their property without their consent. Nayda Alvarez and her relatives own land along the Rio Grande roughly 125 miles (200 kilometers) inland from the Gulf of Mexico. She has found cameras placed on her family’s land, and just last week she spotted a surveillance tower about a quarter of a mile (almost half a kilometer) down the river from her house. “Are we expecting a war or something?” she said. “It doesn’t make me feel safer.” Surveillance technology used by various law enforcement sit on a tower at the border wall, July 28, 2025, in Douglas, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File) Dave Maass, director of investigations for the Electronic Frontier Foundation , a nonprofit that focuses on civil liberties related to digital technology, said the technology has made the border area “a hostile environment” for locals and would-be migrants. The foundation has published a guide on the various types of surveillance towers in use along the southern border designed to help local residents. These can range from fixed towers with video, infrared and radar technologies that have a range of roughly 8 miles (13 kilometers) to remote video surveillance systems that have cameras and a spotlight fixed on top. Some are mounted on the backs of trucks so agents can drive them to different parts of the border. Increasingly, these towers are autonomous. They can scan an area, analyze what they’re seeing using artificial intelligence and alert Border Patrol agents to something suspicious. Proponents say this helps keep Border Patrol agents out in the field instead of sitting in front of computer screens watching for activity. But it also increases AI decision-making along the border when experts have warned about the technology’s potential for bias or other problems. The big GOP tax cuts and spending bill passed by Congress last summer requires that CBP buys only the autonomous towers, and the department is deploying an additional 95. Underground, buried fiberoptic cables can sense movement, capturing data that is also then analyzed by AI. “We follow the contour of the land. We go through trees. We go down into the river banks. We can go absolutely everywhere,” said Magnus McEwen-King, CEO of Sintela, which has a contract with CBP to install the cables. He spoke at a recent border security expo in Phoenix, where some of the technology was on display. CBP also uses ground sensors and trail cameras to detect smuggling routes. Migrants walk past large buoys being used as a floating border barrier on the Rio Grande, Aug. 1, 2023, in Eagle Pass, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File) Concerns over cost and future plans The nonpartisan watchdog group Taxpayers for Common Sense has questioned both the huge amounts of money for the wall-building and whether taxpayers are getting their money’s worth. In 2011, under Democratic President Barack Obama, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano pulled the plug on a project to build a “virtual wall” of integrated technology like radars, sensors and cameras across the entire border after it ran over budget, faced technological glitches and was behind schedule. Josh Sewell, director of research and policy at Taxpayers for Common Sense, said the organization would like to see more “robust evaluation” of the technologies being used to avoid similar scenarios. And he criticized the Trump administration for lack of oversight on how the money is being spent, a charge CBP has denied, citing “oversight mechanism.” In the Big Bend area of southern Texas, opposition to the department’s wall-building plans gathered strong bipartisan support especially in the most sensitive areas that run through a state and national park and a wildlife area. CBP now says it is not planning to build a 30-foot-high (9-meter-high) bollard wall in those areas. Its recently announced plans include installing patrol roads and some barriers designed to stop cars and using detection technologies. Clara Benson, who is one of the founders of the No Big Bend Wall coalition , says bright lights in the area designed to illuminate the border could pollute the skies in an area renowned for having some of the best views of the stars. Even without a 30-foot-tall (9-meter-tall) steel wall running through the land, there is concern about CBP’s plans. “There’s still a lot of fear and dread that the plan is still going to be quite damaging,” she said.