President Joe Biden said Thursday that he doesn’t believe border walls work, even as his administration said it will waive 26 laws to build additional border barriers in the Rio Grande Valley amid heightened political pressure over migration.

According to a notice posted to the Federal Register Wednesday, construction of the wall will be paid for using already appropriated funds earmarked specifically for physical border barriers. The administration was under a deadline to use them or lose them. But the move comes at a time when a new surge of migrants is straining federal and local resources and placing heavy political pressure on the Biden administration to address a sprawling crisis, and the notice cited “high illegal entry.”

Biden – who, as a candidate, vowed that there will “not be another foot” of border wall constructed on his watch – defended the decision to reporters Thursday, saying that he tried to get the money appropriated for other purposes but was unsuccessful.

“I’ll answer one question on the border wall: The border wall – the money was appropriated for the border wall. I tried to get them to reappropriate it, to redirect that money. They didn’t, they wouldn’t.

And 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 told reporters in the Oval Office.

Asked whether he believes the border wall works, Biden answered, “No.”

  • @randon31415
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    -221 year ago

    Environmental damage from building a wall: Large and temporary.

    Environmental damage from letting people cross: Small but on-going.

    • Chetzemoka
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      fedilink
      101 year ago

      Animals exist, you know. Environmental damage from a wall comes from much more than just the construction phase. Environmental damage from a wall is also ongoing

      • @randon31415
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        -31 year ago

        So is leaving all your belongings midway because you don’t have enough water because the republican banned water jugs drops.

        People cause damage. The sooner we can stop people from being in the nature reserve, the sooner the damage stops.