Trump Border Wall Construction Halted by President Joe Biden, Issues Proclamation Terminating National Emergency at U.S.-Mexico Border
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2021
United States President Joe Biden has issued a proclamation on January 20, 2021 terminating the controversial national emergency first declared in Proclamation No. 9844 of February 15, 2019 by former President Donald J. Trump declaring a national emergency on the southern border of the United States (U.S.-Mexico border) and calling for the use of federal taxpayers funds to construct a border wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.
In a letter to the Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi and the President of the Senate Chuck Schumer on February 10, 2021, President Joe Biden advised them “I have determined that the declaration of a national emergency at our souther border was unwarranted. I have also announced that it shall be the policy of my Administration that no more American taxpayer dollars be diverted to construct a border wall, and that I am directing a careful review of all resources appropriated or redirected to that end.”
Biden added “I hereby report to the Congress that the national emergency declared by Proclamation 9844, and continued on February 2020, and January 15, 2021, is terminated and that the authorities invoked in that proclamation will no longer be used to construct a wall at the southern border.”
According to the Proclamation issued by President Biden, “Like every nation, the United States has a right and duty to secure its borders and protect its people against threats. But building a massive wall that spans the entire souther border is not a serious policy solution. It is a waste of money that diverts attention from genuine threats to our homeland security. My Administration is committed to ensuring that the United States has a comprehensive and humane immigration system that operates consistently with our Nation’s values.”
The Biden Proclamation states that the previous Trump Proclamation of a National Emergency on the southern border of the United States “is terminated and that the authorities invoked in that proclamation will no longer be used to construct a wall at the southern border.”
Biden directs the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, shall direct the appropriate officials within their respective departments to: 1) pause work on each construction project on the southern border wall, to the extent permitted by law, as soon as possible but in no case later than seven (7) days from the date of this proclamation,…”
Eagle Pass Mayor Luis E. Sifuentes thanked President Biden for pausing of the construction of the controversial Trump border wall, which was going to have about 2.5 miles of the existing wall replaced by the massive Trump border wall along the City’s park land and golf course on the banks of the Rio Grande at a wasteful cost of about $50 Million. The Eagle Pass City Council approved a resolution opposing the replacement of the existing border wall with the proposed Trump border wall model as being a waste of federal funds when the existing wall is working and in good conditions.
Robie Flores of the Eagle Pass Border Coalition stated she applauded President Biden’s bold leadership in pausing the construction of the controversial Trump border wall and hopes the federal funds are used for infrastructure, education, and welfare projects along the U.S.-Mexico border.
