President Joe Biden’s administration announced on Thursday that it would add sections to a border wall in order to address the increasing number of migrant crossings from Mexico. This decision marks a reversal of Biden’s previous stance, which pledged not to use taxpayer dollars for the construction of a border wall. However, the administration clarified that the allocated funds from former President Donald Trump’s term in 2019 had to be spent at present.
Building border barriers was a significant element of Trump’s first presidential campaign, symbolized by the chant “Build That Wall.” Trump claimed victory and demanded an apology from Biden after the administration’s decision.
Mexico’s President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador criticized the move, labeling it as “a step backwards.”
A majority of Americans, including 73% of Republicans and 37% of Democrats, believe that immigration is making life harder for native-born Americans, according to a September Reuters/Ipsos poll. Hence, immigration is expected to be a major campaign issue in the 2024 presidential race.
The decision to proceed with the construction of border barriers will likely draw scrutiny from immigration advocates and environmentalists who oppose further construction. Biden’s Department of Homeland Security published a notice stating that certain laws and regulations needed to be waived to construct barriers in Starr County, Texas, which is experiencing a high number of unlawful entries.
Environmentalists expressed their displeasure, particularly due to the impact on the biologically important habitat in Starr County. Nevertheless, U.S. officials argued that the administration was legally obliged to spend the funds allocated in 2019.
Although the Biden administration believes a border wall to be ineffective, the White House stated that it is taking a different approach to address the “broken immigration system.” This includes increasing legal pathways for migrants and investing in border security technology.
However, the administration has been grappling with a surge in migrant crossings during Biden’s term, reaching new highs in September. Initially, Biden maintained a COVID-era public health order known as Title 42, which allowed for the expulsion of migrants to Mexico without the opportunity to seek asylum. When this order expired in May, a new rule was implemented, requiring migrants to make appointments through a government-run app or face stricter asylum regulations if they crossed the border illegally.
The increase in migrant numbers has strained cities along the U.S.-Mexico border and elsewhere. Republican governors near the border, who criticize Biden’s handling of the situation, have transported migrants to Democratic cities. Democratic leaders in these cities, such as New York and Chicago, have also started voicing their concerns. New York City Mayor Eric Adams even embarked on a trip to Mexico, Colombia, and Ecuador to dissuade potential migrants from coming to his overwhelmed city.
Approximately 11 million immigrants live illegally in the U.S., with more than 2 million pending cases in U.S. immigration court. Biden initially aimed to pass comprehensive immigration reform legislation but faced opposition from Republicans.
Overall, this decision to add sections to the border wall showcases a change in approach from the Biden administration and raises political and environmental concerns.
(Reporting by Mica Rosenberg in New York and Nandita Bose in Washington; Additional reporting by Doina Chiacu, Jason Lange and Jeff Mason in Washington, Raúl Cortés and Dave Graham in Mexico City and Kristina Cooke in San Francisco; Editing by Heather Timmons and Howard Goller)
Credit: The Star : News Feed
