President Biden faces backlash over border wall construction

THE ONGOING IMMIGRATION CRISIS AT THE U-S SOUTHERN BORDER – THAT HAS MADE ITS WAY TO CITIES ACROSS AMERICA – HAS FORCED PRESIDENT BIDEN TO CHANGE HIS IMMIGRATION POLICIES AND POLITICS. AND NOW – IT’S RESULTING IN PUSHBACK FROM MANY OF HIS SUPPORTERS.

NEWS THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY – WOULD BE CONSTRUCING  20 MILES OF BORDER WALL IN STARR COUNTY, TEXAS, MADE HEADLINES THIS WEEK

IN PART BECAUSE IT’S A DECISION THAT GOES AGAINST ONE OF PRESIDENT BIDEN’S 2020 CAMPAIGN PROMISES.

(PRESIDENT BIDEN)

“there will not be another foot of wall constructed under my administration.”

[ACHOR]

IN 2019 — CONGRESS ALLOCATED FUNDS UNDER THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION – TO BUILD THE BORDER WALL.

FROM THE OVAL OFFICE THURSDAY – BIDEN MENTIONED THAT HE HAD ASKED CONGRESS TO REAPPROPRIATE THOSE FUNDS BUT THEY REFUSED.

(president biden)

“i tried to get them to reappropriate 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.. I can’t stop that.”

Reporter: “do you think the border wall works?”

Biden: “No.”>

[ANCHOR]

LATER THURSDAY, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY -KARINE JEAN-PIERRE- REITERATED

THAT THE ADMINISTRATION HAS TO BUILD THAT SECTION OF BORDER WALL BECAUSE IT’S THE LAW.

(KARINE JEAN-PIERRE / WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY)

“he’s been asking congress to re-appropriate the funds; he has been for the last couple of years and congress refused and we have to comply by law to get this done and that’s what you’re seeing happening right now.”

Reporter: “would there be a way to continue to slow walk this and to delay it?”

KJP: “we have to comply by law and that’s what we’re doing at this time.” >

[ANCHOR]

THE DECISION COMES AFTER DEMOCRATIC LEADERS, INCLUDING IN ILLINOIS, NEW YORK AND MASSACHUSETTS, TURNED UP THE HEAT – CRITICIZING THE  BIDEN ADMINISTRATION’S BORDER POLICIES.

THEY’VE ALL DECLARED STATES OF EMERGENCY – AFTER RECEIVING TENS OF THOUSANDS OF MIGRANTS SEEKING ASYLUM IN THEIR STATES – WHICH HAS OVERWHELMED SHELTERS AND DWINDLED RESOURCES.

ACCORDING TO D-H-S SECRETARY ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS… BORDER PATROL’S RIO GRANDE VALLEY SECTOR IS AN AREA OF “HIGH ILLEGAL ENTRY” – AND AS OF EARLY AUGUST 2023 — HAS “ENCOUNTERED OVER 245-THOUSAND SUCH EXTRANTS ATTEMPTING TO ENTER THE UNITED STATES BETWEEN PORTS OF ENTRY IN THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY SECTOR IN FISCAL YEAR 2023”

THE DHS ALSO REVEALED – THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS WAIVING 26 FEDERAL LAWS TO EXPEDITE THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS… INCLUDING PROVISIONS OF THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT, THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT, AND THE FEDERAL WATER POLLUTION CONTROL ACT.

THE PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION CUTS NEAR THE LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, DRAWING CRITICISM FROM CLIMATE, WILDLIFE, AND INDIGENOUS ACTIVIST GROUPS.

THE CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY – WHICH HELPS TO SAVE ENDANGERED SPECIES — RELEASED A STATEMENT SAYING..

“Every acre of habitat left in the Rio Grande Valley is irreplaceable… We can’t afford to lose more of it to a useless, medieval wall that won’t do a thing to stop immigration or smuggling. President Biden’s cynical decision to destroy crucial wildlife habitat and seal the beautiful Rio Grande behind a grotesque border wall must be stopped.”

AND – AN IMMIGRANTS RIGHTS GROUPS – ALSO CONDEMNED BIDEN’S BORDER WALL DECISION – SAYING QUOTE “We are confused and angered by the decision to further punish the most innocent, most vulnerable people in our communities.” END QUOTE.

IN A STATEMENT ON WEDNESDAY – A CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION SPOKESPERSON SAID C-B-P “will implement sound environmental practices as part of the project covered by this waiver.”