Biden terminates Trump emergency order used to construct border wall
By Rebecca Beitsch - 02/11/21 10:34 AM EST
President Biden has rescinded the emergency order used by former President Trump to justify construction of the border wall, the White House announced Thursday.
“I have determined that the declaration of a national emergency at our southern border was unwarranted,†Biden wrote in a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).
“I have also announced that it shall be the policy of my administration that no more American taxpayer dollars be diverted to construct a border wall, and that I am directing a careful review of all resources appropriated or redirected to that end.â€
The proclamation is a final step from Biden after issuing an executive order on Day 1 questioning the validity of Trump’s national emergency and ordering a pause on all border wall construction.
Trump issued the national emergency at the border in early 2019 after repeatedly butting heads with lawmakers over funding for the project. The emergency declaration loosened the limits on taxpayer funding, paving the way for Trump to divert funds originally intended for other agencies.
But the move landed his administration in court, as environmental groups and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) challenged $2.5 billion in Department of Defense spending that had been diverted to complete construction.
more
https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/538406-biden-terminates-trump-emergency-order-used-to-construct-border-wall
