Biden Tells Reporters He Has No Faith in Border Wall His Administration Just Greenlit: ‘No,’ It Won’t Work
President Joe Biden said he has no confidence in border walls after his administration waived over two dozen federal laws to facilitate the construction of one in Texas.
Biden spoke to reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday during a security briefing on Ukraine. Faced with questions about the barricade, Biden said he didn’t want the wall, but his administration was legally forced into it after funding was allocated for it back in 2019.
“The money was appropriated for the border wall,” Biden said. “I tried to get them to re-direct that money. They didn’t. They wouldn’t, and in the meantime, there’s nothing under the law other than they have to use the money for what it was appropriated for. I can’t stop that.”
Asked if he believes that border walls work, Biden flatly answered “No.”
Questions emerged about whether the White House was flipping on its policy positions when news broke that the Biden administration waived 26 environmental laws to enable a 20-mile expansion to a pre-existing barricade in Starr County. U.S. Customs and Border Protection said the funds were appropriated by Congress four years ago, and DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas was quoted giving a notice acknowledging the “immediate need to construct physical barriers” to inhibit illegal immigration.
Mediaite obtained a statement from a DHS spokesperson who emphasized that the wall is not a new policy decision, and the Biden administration remains consistent in its policy:
This is not a policy decision. The construction project you’re reading about today was appropriated during the prior administration, in 2019, and the government is legally required to utilize these funds for their appropriated purpose. The Administration repeatedly called on Congress to cancel or reappropriate remaining border barrier funding and instead fund smarter border security measures, like border technology and modernization of land ports of entry, that are proven to be more effective at improving safety and security at the border.
This is not a new barrier announcement. The specific construction in the RGV was announced in June, and as made clear then, DHS continues to prioritize deploying technology and other system elements. This construction includes the installation of detection technology, lighting, and access roads. As also announced in June, DHS worked closely throughout the summer with stakeholders, including impacted landowners, tribal, state, and local elected officials, and federal agencies.
The Biden administration’s efforts to expand access to lawful pathways and enforce tougher consequences for those who enter unlawfully has proven to create a more humane and orderly process at the southwest border. The Biden administration will continue to enforce our laws at the southwest border and those who choose to enter our country unlawfully face strict consequences. Ebbs and flows in migration will always occur and we are prepared to address them.
Watch above via Fox News.
