Biden Approves New Border Wall Construction

Facts

• The Biden administration announced Wednesday that it has waived 26 federal laws in South Texas in order to construct more border wall, marking a reversal from the administration’s campaign policy regarding the Southern border.¹
• The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the decision overnight in the Federal Registry, noting that the administration was waiving laws including the Clean Air Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act in Starr County, Texas.²
• DHS Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas, a staunch critic of former Pres. Donald Trump’s border wall, said there is “an acute immediate need to construct physical barriers and roads” near the border. The announcement comes after Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reported that there were more than 260K border encounters in September — a record high.³
• Meanwhile, Trump said he expects an apology from Pres. Joe Biden following the decision that will see 10 projects construct 20 miles of border barriers in South Texas.⁴
• Biden — who had vowed not to build “another foot” of border wall — defended the decision, saying that the money DHS is using had already been appropriated for border wall construction under the Trump administration and that he couldn't redirect the funds elsewhere.⁵
• To combat an influx of migrants, the Trump administration constructed roughly 450 miles of border barriers between 2017 and January 2021.⁶

Sources: ¹Associated Press, ²NBC, ³FOX News, ⁴Washington examiner, ⁵CNN and ⁶New York Post.

Narratives

• Republican narrative, as provided by The post millennial. After years of condescending — and false — assertions that walls “don’t work,' the Biden administration has had to face the reality of the mess it created. Trump knew eight years ago that securing the border was of the utmost importance as millions of illegal migrants invaded the US unrestrained — a crisis Democrats ignored in order to gain votes. They are now finally realizing the consequences of their actions.
• Democratic narrative, as provided by The hill. Despite claims to the contrary, the DHS’s decision isn't a reversal from Biden’s stance on immigration. Money had been appropriated for border wall construction years ago under the former administration, and Biden had no choice but to use the funds. The president remains adamant that physical barriers aren't an effective way to handle immigration, and his administration will continue to pursue a humane policy.