DHS cites ‘immediate need’ to waive regulations, build border wall in Texas as illegal migration surges
EXCLUSIVE: Former President Trump has insisted that the Biden administration is pushing for an “urgent need” to build a border wall as President Biden sees what he sees as an “invasion” of the United States by undocumented immigrants. Trump has warned that there are already ‘terrorists’ in the country.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said on Wednesday that several federal laws need to be bypassed to facilitate the construction of a border wall in South Texas, where illegal immigration is on the rise. According to DHS, the reason behind the move is the “high illegal entry” situation, with 245,000 immigrant encounters reported in the Rio Grande Valley sector this year.
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In an exclusive interview with US Newzs Digital shortly after the DHS announcement, the former president, who is currently leading the 2024 Republican primary race by a significant margin, attributed the crisis on the southern border to Biden’s decision to halt construction of the border wall.
“Biden realizes our country is facing an invasion,” Trump asserted. What measures will he take against the 15 million people who have already entered our country, including prisons, mental institutions, insane asylums, and terrorists?
The number of people apprehended by the Border Patrol between ports of entry along the southern border that are on the FBI’s terror watchlist reached a new high this year in FY 2023. There were 151 arrests in FY 2023, compared to 98 in FY 2022. and 15 in FY 2021. Additionally, at points of entry on the northern and southern borders, the field operations of the Office of Customs and Border Protection encountered 505 individuals.
The Watch List, officially known as the Terrorist Screening Dataset (TSDS), is a government database containing “sensitive information on terrorist identities”. While it was originally designed to house information on known or suspected terrorists, CBP said it has evolved over the past decade to include additional individuals who pose a potential threat to the United States, including known associates of watchlisted individuals.
Although the number is small compared to the millions of migrants encountered at the border in recent years, Republicans and former border officials have expressed concern about people on the terror watchlist who successfully elude Border Patrol agents. In FY 2022, at least 599,000 illegal immigrants escaped Border Patrol custody, compared to more than 390,000 in FY 2021.
“What happened to our country?” Trump expressed regret, insisting that the Biden administration should return to Trump-era policies.
“He should restore Mexico and the Remain in Title 42,” Trump insisted. “He needs to implement all the other measures we’re taking.”
A spokesperson for the Trump campaign told US Newzs Digital on Wednesday night that “President Trump is consistently right.”
“That’s why he built a new border wall about 500 miles strong, which is likely to be completed by now,” the spokesman noted. “Instead, President Biden has turned our country into a sprawling sanctuary for dangerous criminal aliens.”
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday night outlined construction plans in Starr County in the Rio Grande Valley sector. The comments followed a Department of Homeland Security announcement posted in the Federal Register.
Mayorkas asserted that he was using the power Congress gave him to waive 26 federal laws, including important ones like the Clean Air Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act.
He stated, “There is an urgent and urgent need to construct physical barriers and roads near the border of the United States to prevent unauthorized entry into the United States in project areas as described in sections 102(a) and 102(b) of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996.”
A spokesperson for Customs and Border Protection told US Newzs Digital on Wednesday that the project aligns with the Department of Homeland Security’s plan to adhere to President Biden’s announcement. The proclamation rescinded the diversion of funds from military projects and other sources to the construction of border walls while emphasizing the expenditure of funds appropriated by Congress for the construction of barriers in accordance with their designated purpose.
This construction will be funded through the FY 2019 DHS Appropriations Bill, which is earmarked specifically for WALL projects in the RGV sector. DHS is responsible for using these funds for their intended purpose. In June, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) revealed plans to build up to 20 miles of wall in the RGV sector. The administration’s preemptive actions include closing gaps and replacing gates aimed at prioritizing the completion of activities and projects that address life, safety, and operational hazards. This includes the security of individuals, Border Patrol agents, and immigrants.
A CBP spokesperson confirmed to US Newzs Digital that the waivers are related to the barrier projects first announced in June. This exemption extends to approximately 17 miles in Starr County. The spokesperson emphasized that the project fits with the Department of Homeland Security’s plan to implement President Biden’s announcement starting January 20, 2021. The proclamation ends the diversion of funds from military projects or other sources to border wall construction and calls on Congress to use Funds earmarked for barrier construction in accordance with their stated purpose.
“CBP is dedicated to protecting the nation’s cultural and natural resources and will implement environmentally responsible practices as part of a project covered by this exemption,” the spokesperson stated.
In early 2021, the administration halted construction of a new border wall following then-candidate Biden’s promise that “there will be no additional wall construction under my administration.” The administration argued that the previous administration’s construction of the wall was an example of misplaced priorities and a failure to manage immigration in a safe, orderly, and humane manner.
The announcement coincides with the latest surge in illegal immigration by the Biden administration, resulting in unprecedented numbers at the southern border and drawing significant political criticism from both Republicans and Democrats. Sources at Customs and Border Protection (CBP) told US Newzs last week that there were more than 260,000 encounters in September, the highest monthly total ever recorded.
Former President Trump, meanwhile, vowed the previous month to launch “the largest domestic deportation operation in American history” if re-elected. He vowed to begin a second term by swiftly ending “every open borders policy of the Biden administration.”