Trump will visit his border wall after the Capitol riot

Trump will visit his border wall after the Capitol riot

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On Tuesday, Trump is due to travel to Alamo, Texas, near the border, to mark the completion of more than 450 miles of wall – a trip that caters to supporters who put him in office in 2016 despite rising tensions across the country. the country and a violent pandemic.

The border wall, which Trump has repeatedly cited over the past four years as an achievement, has cost U.S. taxpayers – not Mexico – billions and has become emblematic of the president’s restrictive immigration policies, which isolated the U.S. from immigrants and refugees.

On the eve of the visit, Mayor Jim Darling of neighboring McAllen, Texas, acknowledged that tensions are high. This will be Trump’s first public appearance since speaking at the National Mall last Wednesday, just before his supporters invaded the United States Capitol.

“I understand that emotions are high on both sides, for or against, the president, and I hope that, if there are demonstrations for or against, that they are peaceful with our law enforcement personnel,” Honey said.
Since January 2017, about $ 15 billion has been identified to build about 738 miles of border wall through different funds, including those made available through Trump’s declaration of a national emergency.

Of the approximately 453 miles, most replace old, dilapidated barriers with a new, improved wall system, a marked difference from the fence previously built in some regions. Forty-seven miles went up where there were no barriers previously, according to Customs and Border Protection.

In the final days of Trump’s presidency, the White House continues to put pressure on the relevant federal agencies to oblige the funds available for the wall, regardless of whether the land was obtained for construction, CNN found – a measure apparently intended to tie up funds before President-elect Joe Biden takes office.

Customs and Border Protection said last week that it is making progress in granting border wall contracts, including in areas where private land has not been acquired, an unusual move that will complicate Biden’s promise to suspend construction.
Former acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf has repeatedly praised the border wall and the pace of construction. On Monday, Wolf resigned, citing ongoing disputes that challenge the validity of his nomination.
The Trump administration has taken a series of steps to erect additional barriers along the southern border, including declaring a national emergency to access additional funds, entering dozens of lawsuits to acquire private land and waiving environmental and contracting laws to speed up construction.

As construction was underway, the Department of Homeland Security leadership spun repeatedly and those at the top were often in a position to placate the president’s whims at the border wall, according to a former DHS official, who cited the urge to paint the wall black and add spikes despite having no operational value.

The Trump wall will likely continue to be a point of contention in the new government.

“Building a wall will do little to stop criminals and cartels looking to exploit our borders,” says Biden’s plan. “Instead of stealing resources from schools for military children and recovery efforts in Puerto Rico, Biden will direct federal resources to smart border enforcement efforts, such as investments in improving the screening infrastructure at our ports of entry, which will actually keep the Safer United States ”.

Biden’s promise to halt construction sparked discussions among Customs and Border Protection officials about what would happen at that event, especially if funding was cut, according to an Internal Security official. A US official previously told CNN that some contracts could be modified and that government lawyers are discussing what happens with the acquisition of private land, but no decision has been made.

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