Just hours after being sworn in as President, Mr. Joe Biden put an order in to stop wall construction along the Mexico-U.S. border.
He did so by rescinding the national emergency declaration used by former President Donald Trump which diverted billions of dollars to the wall from the Defense Department budget.
President Biden called on all private contractors to stop work “as soon as possible but in no case later than seven days."
"Like every nation, the United States has a right and a duty to secure its borders and protect its people against threats," the proclamation states. "But building a massive wall that spans the entire southern border is not a serious policy solution. It is a waste of money that diverts attention from genuine threats to our homeland security," said President Biden.
The administration will review details of the funding, whether it was legal, and where the money can be moved to.
According to The Washington Post, federal agencies are expected to come up with a plan within the next two months to redirect wall funding, while deciding what to do with parts of the wall and other infrastructure like roads and border technology that is still incomplete.
"It shall be the policy of my administration that no more American taxpayer dollars be diverted to construct a border wall,” it says. “I am also directing a careful review of all resources appropriated or redirected to construct a southern border wall.”
Contractors will be compensated by termination fees which will cover costs, and projected profits lost on current projects.
The U.S.-Mexico border is approximately 2,000 miles long. According to a CBP status report, the U.S. completed about 440 miles of the wall system. That includes updating or complete replacement of existing structures.
Officials say about 40 miles of new wall went up during Trump's time in office.
Approximately 650 miles of border wall existed before Trump took office in 2016 meaning the more than 1,000 miles is still open. However, natural barriers make crossing difficult, if not impossible, in many area.
Some believe a wall would stop illegal crossings, the transportation of drugs, and human sex-trafficking.
