2011 and early 2012, the "Surf Fence" Project replaced the old bars that form a barrier on the beach and extended it into the ocean. In 2012, under pressure from the public and activist groups, the federal government agreed to reopen the park with an outer perimeter fence blocking access to the public except when permitted by the U.S. Border Patrol, which controls access to the park. The fence dividing the two countries is now a thick, dense steel mesh that is difficult to see through and only allows the touching of fingertips. In 2022 the Biden administration approved a Trump-era project to complete a section of the border wall. In August, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agreed to pause plans for a double border wall that critics say would effectively destroy the park. In response to concerns, they announced in January 2023 that the , which are more difficult to see through than current material, would dip to for a small section. Children's Day At the private request of the humanitarian organization Border Angels, the U.S. government allowed a gate in the fence at Friendship Park to be opened briefly on Children's Day, a holiday celebrated in April in Mexico. The first such event took place in 2013, and it was repeated in 2015 and 2016. Border Patrol officers lifted a steel girder that locks a solitary gate in the fence from the U.S. side. Children and adults from a small number of pre-selected families divided by the border were allowed to meet and embrace briefly. San Diego Customs Border Protection (CBP) Sector chief Rodney Scott announced in April 2018 that the door opening event would no longer be allowed to take place. The reason for this decision was that Border Angels founder Enrique Morones had arranged for a wedding to take place, and the groom was a convicted, major drug smuggler. Border Patrol agents attended the wedding, which received widespread local, national and international media coverage. This was a great embarrassment for the San Diego CBP sector command. The Children's Day event is no longer being allowed, and it did not change the terms of access for the thousands of families who visit Friendship Park each year for the purpose of reuniting with their families. Access U.S. side The U.S. Border Patrol allows public access to the park on Saturdays and Sundays between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.