If you watched or saw clips of the press briefing on October 5, 2023, you’ll know the White House has its hands full.
Press Secretary Karine Jean Pierre was field questions from the press about the Administration’s decision to waive 26 federal laws so that a section of the border wall could be completed.
Several news outlets, including ABC News, reported that DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said there was a “acute and immediate need” to waive several federal laws to build a portion of a border wall in South Texas.
“There is presently an acute and immediate need to construct physical barriers and roads in the vicinity of the border of the United States in order to prevent unlawful entries into the United States in the project areas pursuant to sections 102(a) and 102(b) of [the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996],” Mayorkas said.
This is a stark contrast to what President Biden said during his campaign. The President promised supporters that there would “not be another foot of wall constructed on my administration.”
Biden was asked about the border wall and said that he tried to “redirect” the money but was denied.
“I’ll answer one question on the border wall, the border wall where money was appropriated for the border wall. I tried to get them to reappropriate, to redirect that money,” Biden said. “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 on declaring an “immediate need” for new border wall construction in south Texas:
“The money was appropriated for the border wall. I tried to get them to re-direct that money … I can’t stop that” pic.twitter.com/VKCTZh8vC1
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 5, 2023
Biden was then asked if he believes the border wall works and said, “no.”
“Do you believe the border wall works?”
BIDEN: “No” pic.twitter.com/ND479ZM2SA
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 5, 2023
While speaking the President also mumbled.
Joe is running low on batteries again pic.twitter.com/uhMy6K3d2I
— ALX 🎃 (@alx) October 5, 2023
The one thing Biden can’t get around is that his administration waived the environmental regulations to restart construction and as RedState put it: “Construction was halted until an affirmative move was made by the Department of Homeland Security, which the president constitutionally has complete control over.”
The following day Mayorkas put out a statement saying his words were taking out of context.
NEW: Mayorkas says his comments are being taken out of context.
His comments: “There is presently an acute and immediate need to construct physical barriers and roads in the vicinity of the border of the United States in order to prevent unlawful entries into the United States.” https://t.co/yhdOGKfR8q
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) October 5, 2023
The Biden admin was hoping to use the 2019 appropriation as an excuse, it didn’t work leftists like Beto O’Rourke are fuming.
1. Walls don’t work
2. President Biden promised he wouldn’t build them
3. Now even harder for voters to distinguish between him & Trump on border/immigration
4. Wasted opportunity to use executive power to actually fix our asylum system instead of impotent political posturing https://t.co/AQkxokNd2a
— Beto O’Rourke (@BetoORourke) October 5, 2023
