Customs and Border Protection (CBP) confirmed on Wednesday that construction of the wall on the southern border has been suspended – a week after President Biden signed an executive order interrupting President Donald Trump’s border security project.
“CBP, in coordination with the US Army Corps of Engineers, has suspended wall construction projects, except for security-related activities,” CBP said in a statement. “All projects are in compliance with the President’s Proclamation.”
“THE SAME PROBLEMS” WILL RETURN IF BIDEN ROLLS TO BUILD THE FRONTIER WALL, THE OLD GOVERNOR OF NM WARNINGS
Biden signed the order on Inauguration Day last week ordering a “break” no more than seven days after the signing, so that there could be assessments of the legality of the financing, methods of contracting, as well as the consequences of the projects’ shutdown.
Trump made building the wall his main campaign promise of 2016 and, in 2020, promised to build 450 miles by the end of the year – something his administration has accomplished.
But the wall was highly controversial. While many Republicans and border officials said it was a necessary part of a comprehensive border strategy, immigration activists and Democrats – including Biden – said it was ineffective and inhumane.
“Like any nation, the United States has the right and the duty to protect its borders and protect its people from threats. But building a massive wall that spans the entire southern border is not a serious political solution,” said Biden in his statement. request. “It is a waste of money that distracts attention from genuine threats to the security of our homeland.”
Trump officials warned against suspending the wall, claiming that it would not only damage the U.S. ability to protect its borders, but would also cost money and jobs on canceled contracts – although other estimates contradict that claim.
Former CBP chief Mark Morgan told reporters earlier this month that, in addition to the 450 miles built, there were another 350 financed.
“It will cost taxpayers billions of dollars, billions of dollars in settlement fees,” he said. “We will move away from areas of the wall that have already been built.”
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Democrats welcomed the development on Wednesday. Congressman Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, called this “a promising step in our work to stop the construction of the ineffective and wasteful border wall and undo the damage that border lands have suffered in the past four years.”
“However, our work continues,” he said. “I remain firm in my commitment to work with the new administration until all border wall contracts are terminated and all construction teams leave our border communities.”