Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said Thursday that the Biden administration has no new policy regarding border wall construction following reports it will add sections to a wall to stave off record migrant crossings from Mexico.
“I want to address today’s reporting relating to a border wall and be absolutely clear. There is no new Administration policy with respect to border walls," Mayorkas said in a statement."From day one, this Administration has made clear that a border wall is not the answer. That remains our position and our position has never wavered. The language in the Federal Register notice is being taken out of context and it does not signify any change in policy whatsoever."
The Biden administration announced it waived 26 federal laws in South Texas to allow border wall construction Wednesday, marking the administration's first use of a sweeping executive power employed often during the Trump presidency.
DHS posted the announcement on the U.S. Federal Registry with few details outlining the construction in Starr County, Texas, which is part of a busy Border Patrol sector seeing "high illegal entry." According to government data, about 245,000 illegal entries have been recorded so far this fiscal year in the Rio Grande Valley Sector which contains 21 counties.
“The construction project reported today was appropriated during the prior administration in 2019 and the law requires the government to use these funds for this purpose, which we announced earlier this year. We have repeatedly asked Congress to rescind this money but it has not done so and we are compelled to follow the law.
“This Administration believes that effective border security requires a smarter and more comprehensive approach, including state-of the-art border surveillance technology and modernized ports of entry. We need Congress to give us the funds to implement these proven tools.”
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