Immigration
Report: Mayorkas weighing return to border wall construction
Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas is reportedly mulling a return to construction of the southern border wall to fill in “gaps” in the current barrier.
The topic reportedly came up during a meeting between Mayorkas and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) employees, according to a Tuesday Washington Times report.
MORE ON MAYORKAS: Graham: ‘It’s time for Mayorkas to change course or change jobs’
“The president has communicated quite clearly his decision that the emergency that triggered the devotion of DOD funds to the construction of the border wall is ended,” the DHS secretary reportedly told the group.
“But that leaves room to make decisions as the administration, as part of the administration, in particular areas of the wall that need renovation, particular projects that need to be finished.”
MORE ON THE BORDER: Border Patrol: Nearly 1,000 migrants are crossing into US undetected per day
Mayorkas reportedly said some of that would include “gaps,” “gates” and areas “where the wall has been completed but the technology has not been implemented.”
Talking about the plan submitted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Mayorkas reportedly told those in the meeting, “It’s not a single answer to a single question. There are different projects that the chief of the Border Patrol has presented and the acting commissioner of CBP presented to me.”
MORE ON THE BORDER: March migrant detentions at southern border hit 15-year record
Construction of former President Donald Trump’s signature project was halted by President Joe Biden the day he was sworn in. According to The Washington Times, the previous administration constructed about 460 miles of the wall, with most of that being in areas a barrier already existed but didn’t prevent anyone crossing the border by foot.
Trump himself was excited by the possible shift in policy by his successor.
MORE ON THE BORDER: AOC floats ‘reparations’ for some migrant families, rips Biden admin’s handling of migrants
“I think it’s great that they reversed themselves, but a lot of damage was done because we were gonna have that wall almost complete. You know, it delayed two and a half years because of lawsuits,” Trump told Newsmax on Tuesday.
“We started building it and we were almost finished and then they called an end to it. And it’s, you know, just incredible. But if they agree that they’re going to complete it — there’s very little to complete. If they agree that they’re going to complete it, that’s a great thing. That’s a very positive step.”
Asked about the Washington Times report during Tuesday’s press briefing, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said, “Wall construction remains paused to the extent permitted by law, so some has already been funded through congressional authorization.”
“When the administration took office funds had been diverted from congressionally appropriated military construction projects and other appropriated purposes toward building the wall. Federal agencies are continuing to review wall contracts and develop a plan to submit to the president soon. It is paused. There is some limited construction that has been funded and allocated for but it is otherwise paused.”
You can follow Douglas Braff on Twitter @DouglasPBraff.
Immigration
Is the Mexican President blackmailing the U.S.? $20 billion or ‘flow of migrants will continue’
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador doubled down on his attempt to blackmail the United States into paying billions of dollars, or else the “flow of migrants will continue.” A report at Fox News reveals that Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador earlier “demanded a series of actions by the United States in order for him to try to cut off some of the millions of illegal aliens coming from Mexico into the United States across its southern border.”
Then just days ago, he said in an appearance on 60 Minutes that if the U.S. fails to meet his demands, “The flow of migrants will continue.” The report said Obrador, in recent weeks, has demanded that the U.S. give $20 billion a year to Latin American nations, lift sanctions on Venezuela, end the Cuban embargo and give legal status in America to the millions of Mexicans who already have entered illegally.
“Mexico has reportedly taken some state-level action to curb mass migration at President Biden’s request, making crossings drop, however, the number of migrants began to rise again in February, with Border Patrol expecting another surge in the spring,” the report said.
WND reports that the Interviewer Sharyn Alfonsi asked, “Everybody thinks you have the power in this moment to slow down migration. Do you plan to?”
He responded that the “root causes” must be addressed.
“Your critics have said what you’re doing, what you’re asking for to help secure the border, is diplomatic blackmail. What do you say?” Alfonsi asked. He later seemed to contradict himself, confirming that even if those things don’t happen, he will continue to try to help secure the border because the relationship between the nations is important.
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