Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton took action on Tuesday by submitting a motion to put a stop to the sale of sections of the border wall.
In a statement, Paxton explained that he took action after receiving reports of the Biden administration engaging in the illegal sale of segments of the border wall at the United States-Mexico border.
Just weeks before President-elect Donald Trump, the staunchest advocate of the wall, returns to the White House to implement his hard-line immigration agenda, there have been reports that material intended for the wall was removed in Arizona and is now set for auction.
I reached out to the White House for comment via email during non-business hours, as reported by Newsweek.
Why It Matters?
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The Daily Wire obtained video footage showing the transportation of sheets of the border wall near Tucson, Texas. These sheets were being towed to GovPlanet, a government surplus equipment auction site.
According to polling conducted by Gallup, there has been a 13-point increase since 2019 in support for Trump’s flagship border wall policy, with a narrow majority of respondents (53%) backing a major expansion of wall construction along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Under the National Defense Authorization Act, Congress mandated the Biden administration to dispose of unused border wall materials. This directive was issued last year.
The legislation permits the southern border states to either sell or donate these materials. However, it is important to note that these materials can only be used for repairing existing barriers, not for constructing new ones. Additionally, lawmakers have mandated that the Pentagon must provide a report on the storage costs incurred in maintaining these materials.
What To Know
According to Paxton’s motion, the sale of border wall pieces is in violation of a federal court order from May 2024. The court order stated that the Biden administration must use approximately $1.4 billion, allocated by Congress, to continue border wall construction. The administration had previously attempted to redirect these funds.
The motion claims that if the funds are used to purchase the sections of the wall, the Biden administration would be in violation of the federal court order issued in May.
According to Paxton’s office, he has filed a motion requesting the court’s intervention to prevent the illegal sale of any sections of the wall.
Upon assuming office in 2021, Biden put a stop to the construction of the border wall. Trump, his predecessor and upcoming successor, had made the wall a key component of his immigration strategy and pledged to continue building it once he returns to power in January.
What People Are Saying
President-elect Trump made a plea during a press conference on Monday, urging Joe Biden to cease the sale of the wall.
In a statement, Paxton expressed his concern about the Biden administration potentially auctioning off sections of the border wall. He emphasized that if these reports are true, it would mean that the administration is violating a federal court order.
Texas is taking legal action to prevent the unlawful sale of border security materials and to uncover any potential efforts by the federal government to undermine the construction of the border wall. President Trump has a strong mandate from the American people to build the wall, and I am committed to thwarting any attempts of sabotage by the outgoing administration.
“The Biden administration’s latest attempt to block Texas and President-Elect Donald Trump’s efforts to secure the southern border is truly shameful,” stated Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham in an interview with Newsweek. She further expressed her concern, stating that this action demonstrates a continued pattern of disregard for the safety of Texas and American families, in favor of open border policies that have proven to be increasingly disastrous.
According to The Daily Wire, Arizona Republican Representative Eli Crane expressed his belief that the Biden administration should not have halted the construction of the border wall. Crane suggested that if this decision was made intentionally to hinder the incoming president, it would not be surprising. He questioned why the administration would want to undermine the success of President Trump’s policies that they actively worked against.
What Happens Next
Construction on the wall is expected to resume once the incoming administration takes office in January, with Trump set to return to the White House.