President Biden’s decision to resume construction of the border wall he so strongly opposed is being trashed by his own party, with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez demanding that he “reverse course” and stop his “cruel policy.”
The New York Democrat issued a statement Thursday criticizing the Biden administration for waiving 26 federal laws to speed up construction of new sections of the border wall in Texas in an attempt to keep out migrants.
“The Biden administration was not required to expand construction of the border wall, and certainly was not required to waive several environmental laws to accelerate construction,” the Bronx and Queens said. the legislator declared.
“The president must take responsibility for this decision and reverse course.”
The progressive representative maintained that “a wall does nothing to deter people fleeing poverty and violence from coming to the United States.”
“Walls only serve to push immigrants to more remote areas, increasing their chances of death. “It is a cruel policy,” he continued.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) demanded that President Biden “reverse course” on his “cruel policy.” AFP via Getty Images
The new sections of barrier measuring 20 miles will go up along the southern border in Starr County, Texas, which has been a high-traffic entry point for migrants, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
Some 245,000 people have entered the United States illegally in that area this fiscal year alone.
Biden previously condemned the construction of a border wall, a pet project of former President Donald Trump, and sought to claim that the decision to back down was out of his hands.
He said Thursday that he tried to get lawmakers to reappropriate the Trump-era funds, but Congress refused.
About 245,000 people have entered the United States illegally along the southern border in Starr County this fiscal year alone. NYPJ Migrants rest next to the US-Mexico border wall after crossing the Rio Grande from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, into the United States on Tuesday, October 1. January 3, 2023, in El Paso.NYPJ
The law requires that the money be used as approved and that construction be completed this year.
“The money was allocated for the border wall,” Biden said. “I can’t stop that.”
Ocasio-Cortez was among several Democrats who disputed that claim, saying it was time for the president to “finally invest in meaningful immigration reform.”
Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.) compared the Biden administration’s decision to “putting your head in the sand.”
Biden has previously condemned the construction of a border wall. NYPJ Trump argued that Biden’s actions showed that Trump was right on the wall all along.ZUMAPRESS.com
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador also weighed in on the planned expansion of the border wall, calling it a “setback” that “does not solve the problem.”
The move comes as it was announced Thursday that the United States would also resume deporting immigrants to Venezuela in a desperate attempt to stem the influx of new arrivals flooding the cities of New York, Chicago and Washington.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said the decision to move forward with construction of the wall does not represent a change in policy.
“From day one, this administration has made it clear that a border wall is not the answer,” he said in a statement. “That remains our position and our position has never wavered.”
Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.) compared the Biden administration’s decision to “putting your head in the sand.” NYPJ
Trump wasted no time taking a victory lap on social media, arguing that Biden’s actions proved he was right all along.
“As I have often said, for thousands of years, there are only two things that have worked consistently: wheels and walls!” he wrote in Truth Social. “Will Joe Biden apologize to me and the United States for taking so long to get moving… I will wait for his apology!”
With postal cables
Categories: Trending
Source: vtt.edu.vn