Trump makes his first 2020 trip to the border between the United States and Mexico

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(CNN) - President Donald Trump will make his first trip to the U.S.-Mexico border in 2020 on Tuesday amid continued concerns about a surge in coronavirus cases and just after his foray into the campaign in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Trump's border wall is expected to once again become a cornerstone of his campaign, and as the election year intensifies, his key promise takes on renewed urgency. The administration has billed Tuesday's trip as a celebration of the completion of the 320 kilometer new wall system.

But the more than 320 kilometers are just part of the administration's goal to build more than 720 kilometers by the end of this year. Of these, approximately four kilometers have been built in areas where there were no barriers before, while most of the kilometers replaced old and outdated designs with an improved system, according to US Customs and Border Protection. USA, which oversees the construction of the border wall.

Trump has repeatedly touted the progress of his border wall.

"We have a very strong border now, our southern border," Trump said in May. “And every day, it gets stronger because we are building kilometers per day of a very, very powerful wall. And that's a great thing for our country. "

On Tuesday, Trump will join acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf and acting Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Mark Morgan.

Three years after becoming president, Trump has faced a series of legal challenges over his border wall and his attempt to bolster his purpose with additional funds from other government accounts.

The legal fight over Defense Department funds stems from Trump's national emergency declaration on the U.S.-Mexico border last year. Trump extended the statement last February, even as border arrests began to decrease. The extension allows the administration to continue to dive into the Pentagon's funds, which the administration continues to rely on to complete hundreds of miles of wall.

The administration also has to deal with private landowners whose land can be confiscated to build barriers along the border. Landlords often fight for what is known as fair compensation, which they consider a fair price for their property.

Over the course of the Trump presidency, the administration has engaged in increasingly aggressive land grabbing along the southwest border. And it didn't stop during the pandemic.

"It has not slowed down or stopped," said Tricia Cortez, executive director of the Rio Grande International Study Center. The center, based in Laredo, Texas, has been planning regular workshops to inform homeowners of their rights and reach out to those whose land may be at risk of being taken.

Meanwhile, in Arizona, Customs and Border Protection is painting approximately 137 meters of a new border wall in San Luis, Arizona, using a "coal tar epoxy" in an effort to assess operational benefits, according to the agency. The border agency is testing a "coating that will extend the life of the steel," a spokesperson told CNN.

It will also be tested at the United States Border Patrol Academy in Artesia, New Mexico, this summer. If successful, the coating will be used elsewhere, the agency spokesman said. Customs and Border Protection did not immediately respond to questions about how success will be measured.

During a meeting of the Oval Office last year, Trump told several government officials that he wanted the wall to be painted black and include French-style doors. The idea seemed to die out ever since. But a few months ago, Trump wanted the wall to be painted again, according to an administration official.

That will come at a cost, too: Depending on what paint is used, it could increase the cost to as much as $ 1.2 million for every 1.6 kilometers, the official said. If paint is applied to the new 137 meters that Trump says will be built early next year, the price will be roughly $ 500 million.