Biden Approves New Border Security Measures Amidst Surging Crossings from Mexico

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Image credit: Quartz


The Biden administration has approved the construction of a new section of border security infrastructure in southern Texas to address the growing influx of immigration.

Approximately 20 miles (32km) of barrier will be erected in Starr County, along the Mexican border, where authorities have reported a significant rise in border crossings.

It's worth noting that building a border wall was a central policy of Donald Trump's presidency and faced strong opposition from Democrats.

In 2020, President Biden pledged not to add another inch to the wall if elected. Soon after taking office, his administration issued a proclamation stating that constructing a wall across the southern border was not a viable policy solution.

In a statement to Associated News on Wednesday night, the US Customs and Border Protection defended the decision, emphasizing that they were utilizing funds already allocated for border security.

"Congress allocated funds in fiscal year 2019 for the construction of a border barrier in the Rio Grande Valley, and the Department of Homeland Security is obligated to use those funds for their intended purpose," the statement asserted.

The escalating number of illegal border crossings has become a pressing issue for the president. Government data reveals that over 245,000 crossings have occurred this year alone in the Rio Grande Valley area, with September expected to set a record.

The strain of this influx is being felt in several US cities. New York City Mayor Eric Adams estimated that the cost of housing the more than 100,000 new arrivals since last year will reach $12 billion over the next three years. Mayor Adams is currently on a trip to Mexico, Colombia, and Ecuador to discourage migrants from attempting the journey. "We are at capacity," he stated on Tuesday.

The Secretary of Homeland Security under President Biden stressed the "acute and immediate need" to construct this new section of border security to deter unlawful entries.

This decision involves the waiver of dozens of federal laws, including the Clean Air Act and Safe Drinking Water Act, which has sparked controversy among environmentalists. They argue that these structures will disrupt the habitats of endangered plants and animals.

Laiken Jordahl, a conservation advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity, expressed disappointment, saying, "It's disheartening to see President Biden bypass our nation's fundamental environmental laws to build border walls that are ineffective and harmful to wildlife."

According to a proposal from the US Customs and Border Protection, the new barriers will consist of sturdy bollards embedded in a concrete base, along with gates, cameras, and CCTV equipment.

Funding from the Trump era will be utilized to construct this new section, marking the first time the Biden administration has approved the construction of such barriers. During President Trump's tenure, 450 miles of wall were built.


Image credit: BBC


In an interview with Fox News on Wednesday, former President Trump attributed the crisis to President Biden's rollback of his strict border policies and the subsequent need to reintroduce them. "He has to do all of the [other] things that we were doing," he remarked.

President Biden has been facing mounting criticism for his immigration policies, particularly in light of a recent surge in migrants crossing into the US. According to the latest data, US Border Patrol apprehended 181,059 individuals along the southern border in August, compared to 132,648 in July.

Mexico's President, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, revealed that 10,000 people arrived at the border every day just last week.






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