In a campaign stop in Iowa on Saturday, former Vice President Mike Pence, who is seeking the Republican nomination for the presidency, noted the irony in the Biden administration's announcement this week that it would restart construction on the Trump administration's border wall.
"It's pretty ironic to me that the last two days, we just heard the Biden administration just announce they're going to start building some wall," Pence said. "Even a blind squirrel finds an acorn every now and again."
He added, "Don't be deceived, 26 miles of wall isn't going to get it."
Rep. Colin Allred, D-Texas, agrees.
"I have long said that targeted physical barriers have a role to play in securing our border at high traffic areas, but this is only a partial solution," Allred said. "What our state needs is comprehensive immigration reform, including adequate funding for border security personnel and technology."
The Thursday announcement from the White House revealed that the Biden administration waived 26 federal regulations to build over 20 miles of border wall in Texas with Trump-era funds, The Hill reported.
"This is a necessary step to help Texas' overwhelmed border communities deal with this current surge of migrants," Allred said in a statement to The Hill Friday.
This issue divides Democrats, as President Joe Biden has refrained from border wall construction during his presidency. Many Democrats have condemned the border construction as a reversal of promises not to build walls; others have praised it as a necessary step to reduce border crossings from Mexico.
Congressional Hispanic Caucus members called the decision disappointing.
"While this border wall funding was signed into law by President [Donald] Trump under Republican leadership, this decision is not in line with the current administration's commitments to end border wall construction." CHC Chair Nanette Diaz Barragan, D-Calif., said in a statement.
Republicans believe it's the right solution to the migrant problem.
The Biden administration responded to the criticism, with the president explaining that a set of legal constraints compelled him to use the funds exclusively to construct a border wall.
"The money was appropriated for the border wall. I tried to get them to re-appropriate, to redirect that money. They didn't. They wouldn't," Biden said. "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."
Biden was asked whether he thought the border wall was effective and responded, "No."
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas emphasized the necessity of the new construction for border security, stating, "There is currently an urgent and immediate requirement to build physical barriers and roads near the United States border to deter illegal entries into the project areas."
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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