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36 INTERNATIONAL AWEMainta Diabierna, 6 October 2023
Biden Administration to Resume Border Wall
Construction Amid Escalating Immigration Challenges
THE Biden administration has
announced its intention to construct
a new section of the border wall in
southern Texas, taking a signifi-
cant departure from its earlier stance
against the controversial border wall
project.
This decision comes in response to
rising levels of immigration and an
alarming surge in illegal border cross-
ings, particularly in Starr County,
which shares its border with Mexico.
The move has reignited the border
wall debate, a signature policy of
former President Donald Trump that
was met with staunch opposition from
Democrats.
A Policy Reversal
During his 2020 presidential campaign, matic mission to Mexico, Colombia, base, complete with gates, cameras,
President Joe Biden promised not to and Ecuador to discourage migrants and CCTV equipment, according to a
build “another foot of wall” if elected, from undertaking perilous journeys to proposal by U.S. Customs and Border
signaling a departure from the previous the U.S., emphasizing that New York Protection. Funding secured during
administration’s hardline immigration City is “at capacity.” Donald Trump’s presidency will be
policies. However, his administration used for this construction, marking
has now authorized the construction Environmental Concerns and Federal the first instance of the Biden admin-
of approximately 20 miles (32km) of Waivers istration approving new wall construc-
border wall in Starr County. The decision to resume border wall tion. During the Trump administration,
construction has raised environ- approximately 50 miles of new wall
The Escalating Immigration Challenge mental concerns. Several federal laws, were built, and 400 miles of existing
The decision to build the new section including the Clean Air Act and Safe barriers were upgraded.
of wall reflects the administration’s Drinking Water Act, have been waived to
growing concern over the surging expedite the project. Environmentalists President Trump’s Response
numbers of illegal border crossings. argue that these structures will disrupt Former President Donald Trump, in
Government data reveals that more endangered plants and animals’ habi- an online post, questioned whether
than 245,000 crossings have occurred tats. President Biden would apologize “to me
this year alone in the Rio Grande Valley and America for taking so long to get
area, with September anticipated to Laiken Jordahl, a conservation advo- moving.” He characterized the decision
set a record. The influx of migrants cate at the Center for Biological as President Biden “break[ing] every
has placed significant strain on several Diversity, expressed disappointment, environmental law in the book” and
U.S. cities, prompting concerns about stating that it is disheartening to see suggested he was awaiting an apology.
housing and resources. the Biden administration circumvent
environmental laws to build what they The Biden administration’s shift in
New York City Mayor Eric Adams, for deem as “ineffective wildlife-killing policy regarding border wall construc-
instance, estimates that the cost of border walls.” tion underscores the complexity of
housing over 100,000 new arrivals immigration challenges and the need
since last year could soar to $12 billion Construction Details and Funding for pragmatic solutions to address
over the next three years. In response, The new border wall section will consist the ongoing crisis at the U.S.-Mexico
Mayor Adams is embarking on a diplo- of large bollards embedded in a concrete border.
