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Customs and Border Protection (CBP) confirmed on Wednesday that construction of the southern border wall has been suspended – a week after President Biden signed an executive order ending President Donald Trump’s border security project.
“CBP, in coordination with the US Army Corps of Engineers, has suspended wall construction projects except security-related activities,” CBP said in a statement. “All projects are in accordance with the president’s proclamation.”
“ SAME PROBLEMS ” WILL RESURFACE IF TENDER LAUNCHES CONSTRUCTION OF REAR BORDER WALL, FORMER GOVERNOR OF NM WARNS
Biden signed the order on inauguration day last week, ordering a “break” no later than seven days after signing, so that he could assess the legality of the funding, the methods of contracting, as well as the consequences of stopping projects.
Trump had made building the wall his main campaign pledge of 2016, and in 2020 pledged to build 450 miles by the end of the year – which his administration has accomplished.
But the wall was very controversial. While many Republicans and border officials have said it is a necessary part of a comprehensive border strategy, immigration activists and Democrats – including Biden – have said it is ineffective and inhumane.
“Like any nation, the United States has the right and the duty to secure 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,” he said. Biden said in his order. “It is a waste of money that distracts attention from the real threats to our internal security.”
Trump officials had warned against stopping the wall, saying it would not only hurt the US’s ability to protect its borders, but also cost money and jobs in canceled contracts – though other estimates disputed this assertion.
Then-CBP chief Mark Morgan told reporters earlier this month that in addition to the 450 miles built, another 350 had been funded.
“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 praised the development on Wednesday. Representative Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, called it “not promising in our work to stop the inefficient and unnecessary border wall construction and repair the damage that border areas have suffered over the past four years.”
“However, our work continues,” he said. “I remain firm in my commitment to work with the new administration until every border wall contract is terminated and all construction crews leave our border communities.”
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