washington republican congressman hurd whose district span 800 miles 1,290 km texas-mexico border friday criticize plan consideration trump administration build wall fence cost estimate 21.6 billion deter illegal immigration reuters thursday reveal detail internal report department homeland security dhs estimate cost cover entire border call first phase construction begin san diego california el paso texas rio grande valley build wall expensive least effective way secure border hurd whose district include el paso say email say district include rough terrain impossible build physical wall estimate price tag report much high 12 billion figure cite republican president donald trump campaign estimate high 15 billion republican house speaker paul ryan republican senate majority leader mitch mcconnell border wall one trump main campaign promise trump take office jan. 20 vow make mexico pay unite state southern neighbor repeatedly say fund construction many congressional democrats react strongly news plan wall estimate price senator patrick leahy vermont senior democrat senate appropriations committee say telephone interview welcome debate committee fund wall instead fund costly ineffective proxy real action immigration reform direct resources toward find cure cancer build school children feed hungry rebuild bridge roads leahy say five democratic senators friday write letter homeland security secretary john kelly claim money would misspend letter sign senators kamala harris california martin heinrich new mexico tom udall new mexico brian schatz hawaii elizabeth warren massachusetts warren star political leave silence republican-controlled senate tuesday even speak trump attorney general nominee republican senator jeff sessions sessions confirm wednesday senators write extraordinarily concern president trump executive order appear require divert dhs fund mean critical security priorities instead fund border wall ask kelly respond series question include much fund divert cover cost build wall hurd say see estimate high 40 billion barrier construction cite massachusetts institute technology study release october skepticism trump 's 'wall cost simmer among democrats border republican