In a surprising move, the Biden administration has announced its decision to resume the construction of the southwest border wall, essentially continuing the efforts initiated by former President Donald Trump. This unexpected decision by President Biden contradicts his previous stance on border walls as a means to prevent the influx of drugs, terrorists, and migrants into the United States. However, it seems that he had little choice in the matter.
Not many people remember the 2006 NBC News profile where then-Delaware Senator Biden placed blame on Mexico for illegal immigration and called for stricter border control through the implementation of fences. Additionally, during Biden’s 2007 campaign speech in Iowa, he emphasized the importance of controlling national borders to prevent cocaine smuggling. However, by 2020, Biden’s views on border walls had dramatically shifted, arguing that they would have minimal impact on deterring criminals and cartels. This change may have been more influenced by his dislike for his opponent (who heavily promoted the idea of border walls during his campaign) rather than a principled reassessment.
As one of his initial actions as president, Biden decided to halt the construction of the border wall, despite Congress having already allocated billions of dollars for its completion. In response, 40 Republican senators requested the federal Comptroller General, Gene Dodaro, to investigate whether Biden’s actions violated the Impoundment Control Act, a law established during the Nixon era that prohibits the president from withholding allocated funds.
In June 2021, Dodaro ruled that Biden’s delay in spending the allocated funds was due to procedural reasons, such as performing environmental reviews and consulting with stakeholders. One major issue with these claims is that Congress had previously granted the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) the authority to waive most environmental restrictions involved in constructing border barriers, as outlined in a 2005 law that then-Senator Biden himself voted in favor of.
Dodaro also recommended that Congress demand a specific timeline for the expenditure of funds. However, time was running out for Biden to utilize $190 million in unspent wall funding from 2019, which Customs and Border Protection (CBP) indicated in June when they announced their intention to proceed with 20 miles of fencing in Arizona and California.
Already Existing Damage
The CBP’s announcement cautiously included a statement urging Congress to cancel or repurpose the remaining funds for the border wall and instead invest in more strategic border security measures. It was a prudent move by the CBP to distance themselves from the White House’s position, as experienced agents are aware that “smarter border security measures” often entail wasteful spending on high-tech solutions that do little to impede the flow of drugs and migrants.
Moreover, the administration’s decision to resume border wall construction also has a political agenda. The CBP’s Border Wall System encompasses more than just fencing; it includes lighting, sensors, and all-weather roads.
A visit to the border reveals unfinished fence panels decaying on the ground, concrete stumps where light towers should be, and partially completed roads that have been washed away due to neglect. The sensors remain non-functional because they have not been connected to a power source. All of this was a consequence of the construction “pause” enacted by the Biden administration.
Democratic officials in northern cities are now facing their own migrant crises and are demanding border interventions from the White House. These images of neglect at the border serve as a stark reminder of the financial burden that Joe Biden’s shifting stance on border security has imposed on taxpayers.
Although the resumption of border wall construction may offer some assistance, it will be ineffective without a change in the administration’s catch-and-release policies. The construction progress will simply expedite the agents’ apprehension of migrants who will ultimately be released by the administration. If Senator Biden from 2007 were to witness this situation, he would likely say, “C’mon man, we can do better.” We need that version of Joe Biden back.
Andrew Arthur is the resident fellow in law and policy at the Center for Immigration Studies.
Denial of responsibility! Vigour Times is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
