Biden administration waives 26 laws to build border barrier in Texas
3 Min Read
The move contradicts the campaign promises Biden previously made about stopping all border wall construction.
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Migrants who crossed the Rio Grande and entered the U.S. from Mexico are moved for processing by US Customs and Border Protection, Sept. 23, 2023, in Eagle Pass, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
The Department of Homeland Security said in a notice on Thursday that the Biden administration is waiving 26 federal laws to expedite the construction of border barriers between Texas and Mexico.
"There is presently an acute and immediate need to construct physical barriers and roads in the vicinity of the border of the United States in order to prevent unlawful entries into the United States in the project areas," Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in the notice, published on the Federal Register.
The new border barriers will be built in Starr County, Texas, using money that was previously set aside for this exact purpose, the notice read.
The move contradicts the campaign promises Biden previously made, many of which were aimed at stopping all border wall construction.
"The money was appropriated for the border wall. I tried to get them to reappropriate, to redirect that money. They didn’t. They wouldn’t. In the meantime, there’s nothing under the law other than they have to use the money for what it was appropriated for. I can’t stop that," he said when asked about his administration's recent decision.
Some of the laws being waivered include the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the National Environmental Policy Act — all of which are statutes Biden openly said he would safeguard.
They are now being bypassed to undergo the construction of the border wall.
The DHS notice states that the funds must be spent on their intended purpose by the end of fiscal year 2023.
Read more: New report details gruesome human rights violations at US border
The Biden administration has made promises to protect the rights of migrants, but it has failed to deliver on many of these promises.
Thousands of migrants from all over the world continue to risk their lives and everything they have in order to enter the US, only to be met with border arrests and hostility.
Cities like New York are claiming a lack of space and accusing migrants of straining public services, and authorities are refusing to fulfill their legal obligation to provide free lodging to all who request it.
Last month, NYC Mayor Eric Adams raised concerns over the immense flux of migrants entering the city, stating that it costs a staggering $12 billion to provide housing and care for these newcomers over a span of three years.
"If we don’t get the support we need, New Yorkers could be left with a $12 billion bill," Adams said in a speech from City Hall as quoted by The New York Times. "While New York City will continue to lead, it’s time the state and federal government step up."
