Trump's border wall expansion moves forward in several critical areas: 'Crisis is not yet over'
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem cleared waivers allowing for 36 more miles of border wall construction in Arizona and New Mexico.
The waivers curb environmental regulations that the construction would be subjected to legally build more quickly. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News Digital in a statement that "DHS has been working at a neck-breaking speed to secure our border" and remove "criminal illegal aliens out of our country."
The waivers cover several projects, including filling gaps in the Yuma Sector and making developments on the wall in the El Paso Sector, according to a news release. In addition, 24 miles will be part of the Tucson Sonoita Project.
These projects already had funds allocated in 2020-21 appropriations for Customs and Border Protection, the release from CBP added.
"Today's news is welcome here in Yuma, Arizona, where our community is still grappling with the consequences of the Biden-Harris Administration's four years of open-border policies," Jonathan Lines, a Yuma County Supervisor and Chairman of the Border Security Alliance, stated.
"We applaud President Trump's commitment to border security, and we look forward to the completion of the wall across the entire southern border. The border crisis is not yet over, and our federal government must continue to equip the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents with the tools, technologies, and resources necessary to provide adequate national security to keep America safe," Lines added.
Another waiver was granted in April to build more of the wall in California. With only a few small exceptions, border wall construction was largely halted during the Biden administration as millions of people crossed illegally, including through gaps. The gaps between barriers are also known to be used for cartel activity.
"Our border has never been safer or more secure, and we have the Trump Administration to thank for that," Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen told Fox News Digital in a statement. "Finishing the wall is exactly what Arizonans voted for, and I'm pleased Secretary Noem is quickly carrying out President Trump's mission to protect our citizens and strengthen our national security. Sanity and the rule of law are being restored in our nation."
Critics of further wall construction have largely cited environmental concerns.
"Waiving environmental, cultural preservation, and good governance laws that protect clean air and clean water, safeguard precious cultural resources, and preserve vibrant ecosystems and biodiversity will only cause further harm to border communities and ecosystems," Earthjustice Associate Legislative Representative Cameron Walkup said in a statement in April after the California waiver.
"Rather than rushing to spend tens of billions of dollars to help President Trump build even more wasteful border wall through a budget reconciliation package, Congress should focus on rescinding these waivers and remediating the significant damage that has already been caused by the wall," Walkup added.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox News
2 hours ago
- Fox News
False rumors of Minneapolis ICE raid spark protest as police decry 'irresponsible' info from elected officials
A chaotic protest in Minneapolis during which federal agents were seen getting physical with demonstrators unfolded as elected officials posted "highly irresponsible" information online suggesting a criminal search warrant was an ICE operation, police say. Tense moments were captured on video Tuesday as federal agents and the public clashed in the streets of the major city, with Minnesota State Sen. Omar Fateh claiming on Facebook, "On scene are DHS, ICE, FBI, Sheriffs, and MPD" in what he described as "blatant fascism on display." In a follow-up post, Fateh said, "While the Mayor has told us ICE is not welcome in our city, what residents saw was their deployment assisted by his MPD." However, the federal operation focusing on a Mexican restaurant actually "was related to a criminal search warrant for drugs and money laundering and was not related to immigration enforcement" and "No arrests were made," according to Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. "The information that came out on social media from elected officials was highly irresponsible," Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt said Wednesday. "There were ways for them to have accurate information and instead of getting accurate information, being impulsive and putting out things that could potentially incite riots is senseless." "Yesterday's incident was a criminal investigation," she added. "So putting out the rhetoric that that was a raid, it was not a raid. Putting out the rhetoric that it was an immigration enforcement, the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office does not participate in immigration enforcement. Elected officials have a responsibility to the constituents to put out accurate information. They don't have to agree with it, but do not mislead the public, causing more harm to our communities." Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara added, "Ultimately, you can say what you want and point fingers and blame people for different things, how it happened, whether they should or shouldn't have or whatever, but the bottom line is if a tragedy happened at Lake and Bloom yesterday, it doesn't matter who is at fault. The community loses. The feds lose. We all lose, and we are left behind. "The feds can leave, we are left behind to deal with the consequences," O'Hara continued. "And what I saw yesterday as they were trying to leave, aside from just the verbal things that were being said, but with things being thrown at them — in some cases heavily-armed federal agents getting into hand-to-hand situations with people who are protesting — is not good." Video clips showed protesters screaming at the federal agents. In one scene, a masked man wearing an ATF Police uniform tossed a demonstrator to the ground after he tried to get in front of a van that was leaving the area. "Trump has created an environment of understandable fear, created an atmosphere where distrust isn't just a norm. In fact, sometimes it's appropriate," Frey told reporters Thursday while speaking alongside Witt and O'Hara. In a statement provided to Fox News Digital, Jamie Holt, the ICE Homeland Security Investigations special agent in charge for St. Paul, said, "Federal investigators conducted a groundbreaking criminal operation today — Minnesota's first under the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) umbrella — marking a new chapter in how we confront complex, multidimensional threats. "From drug smuggling to criminal labor trafficking, this operation showcases the breadth of our collective missions and the strength of a united front," the statement added, noting that "This HSI led investigation wouldn't have been possible without the extraordinary collaboration of our state partners and federal HSTF partners." Witt told reporters on Wednesday, "It is not okay for people to obstruct law enforcement when we are trying to obtain evidence." "It's not okay to try to prevent them from leaving. It is not okay," she added. "It did not look good — I get that — and we will deal with some of the things that happened that even I don't agree with, which is why I have an appointment already set up with some of our federal leaders. That could have been done better."
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Trump Appoints 22-Year-Old Ex-Gardener and Grocery Store Assistant to Lead U.S. Terror Prevention
The inexperienced 22-year-old reportedly tasked by Donald Trump with tackling U.S. extremism was working as a neighborhood gardener just five years ago and in a grocery store as recently as August 2023, the Daily Beast can reveal. Thomas Fugate, who graduated from the University of Texas at San Antonio just 12 months ago, is currently heading up the Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships at the DHS, as first reported by ProPublica Tuesday. The center, also known as CP3, plays a vital role supporting nationwide efforts to combat terrorism and hate-fueled violence. But according to the youngster's LinkedIn page, Fugate has almost no experience in this field—and in 2020 was working as a self-employed 'Landscape Business Owner.' There isn't much else on his resumé to suggest Fugate has the requisite skills to weed out terrorists. Prior to his work as a gardener—while studying for a degree in politics and law—Fugate worked at an H-E-B supermarket in Austin, Texas, as a 'Cross Functional Team Member.' According to his LinkedIn, he would 'perform various activities around every department of the store, fulfilling key duties contributing to store operations.' Since leaving college, Fugate has had a meteoric rise in the political world, having served as an 'advance team member' on President Donald Trump's 2024 campaign, according to his LinkedIn page. An avowed Republican, he also interned at the Heritage Foundation, the think tank behind Project 2025, and for Texas Representatives Terry Wilson and Steve Allison. Fugate was reportedly hired as a 'special assistant' in an immigration office at the DHS in February, according to ProPublica. He then took over CP3 after its previous director quit. Fugate did not immediately respond to The Daily Beast's request for comment. 'Tom Fugate has performed well in his current role as a Confidential Assistant in our Immigration & Border Security suboffice,' a senior DHS official told The Daily Beast. 'Due to his success, he has been temporarily given additional leadership responsibilities in the Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships office (CP3). This is a credit to his work ethic and success on the job.' Fugate set up a political Instagram account last year, where his profile contains the motto, 'Men used to do great things. I believe they still can.' He has posted a number of photos from the campaign trail and his time in Washington, D.C. He also posted a video that showed him with a host of lesser lights in the Republican party, including the disgraced former congressman Madison Cawthorn, Kennedy Center President Ric Grenell, and MAGA personality Riley Gaines. He is also pictured with Texas Governor Greg Abbott and former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. An older account in the name of Trey Fugate on X suggests that he was a fan of LEGO and Star Wars. He used the social media account to call on Texas politicians 'to protect the international affairs budget!' and 'Help the global poor, save lives.' That was just two years before he launched his new MAGA personality with the thomas4texas Instagram account, saying: 'Legend has it that Thomas Fugate didn't start the fire 🔥, but that is always been burning since the world's been turning 🤔. Welcome all to my new account for public service, community involvement, and politics 🇺🇸. Recently things have got to the point where I felt like my main account has become too focused on politics, so I wanted to switch things up!' The plethora of selfies and portraits plastered across his social media accounts suggest that the wryly arched eyebrow Fugate chose for his LinkedIn profile—a photograph taken in front of the seal of the Department of Homeland Security—was very much a knowing choice from a young man who seems to think he is destined for the top.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Trump's ban on travel shows what he's learned
When President Donald Trump abruptly unleashed his ban on people coming from Muslim-majority countries in 2017, chaos erupted at U.S. airports. Protests broke out in major cities across the country. Legal challenges stymied the administration, which ultimately had to slim down its order to pass constitutional muster. This time, as Trump leveled new restrictions against 19 nations, the reaction was mostly muted and the legal justification appears more deliberate. It's the nature of the do-over presidency, which has provided Trump with a unique opportunity to build on his first term. And no policy better captures the way in which Trump is demonstrating he's learned from past mistakes or benefitting from a Democratic party less inclined to fight over border security quite like his travel ban 2.0. 'The first version of those travel restrictions were not upheld because the court wanted to see 'what's your methodology, what's the criteria in which you're making these national security decisions?' said Chad Wolf, acting DHS secretary during the president's first term. 'And then once we went back and further validated it and showed the court, they affirmed it. So I definitely think that they built on that, and then probably expanded it as well.' Trump has used his first five months in office to propose a host of immigration-related ideas that he batted around during his first term but ultimately did not pursue, including an attempt to end birthright citizenship and a plan to revoke Chinese student visas. His team has also taken on an aggressive legal strategy, an effort designed to expand the president's power over the immigration system and implement policy changes more difficult for future presidents to unravel. And Trump released dozens of immigration executive orders in his first week in office, many that directed his agencies to begin exploring the sweeping restrictions he promised on the campaign trail — a torrent of action that wouldn't have been possible without the coordination across the president's team, MAGA allies and conservative think tanks that spent the last four years planning a robust policy agenda. To be sure, lawsuits over the new travel ban are in the works. Immigration advocates and some legal experts say the new ban, while perhaps better planned than the original version, is nonetheless unconstitutional. 'The new ban is being promulgated in a context in which President Trump has shown a defiance of due process and disregard for judicial decisions that exceeds anything in his first term,' said Jonathan Hafetz, a law professor at Seton Hall. 'This will also likely factor in how courts evaluate the new travel ban, and could make them more skeptical of the administration's claims but also more wary of directly confronting the administration.' And more broadly, the president's immigration agenda has faced several setbacks, adverse legal rulings and a haphazard approach that has often undermined the administration's case in court. Judges have said immigrants have been wrongly deported — without due process — and have blocked Trump's use of the Alien Enemies Act, a 1798 law that the White House relied upon for authority to deport more than 100 accused of gang membership to an El Salvadoran prison. And his hurried deportations tactics have resulted in at least four men being improperly deported in violation of court orders. The administration was forced to bring one of them back to the U.S. in recent days. The White House has also faced steep hurdles in other aspects of its immigration agenda. Judges ruled that his executive order aimed at ending birthright citizenship was flagrantly unconstitutional, and the policy faced skepticism from the Supreme Court last month. But when it comes to his new travel ban, legal experts on both sides of the aisle say the president is likely on stronger footing should he face challenges. "Under Trump 2.0 there's been an aspect of doing that legwork in advance, so that it would fall under those parameters,' said Morgan Bailey, a partner at Mayer Brown and a former senior official at DHS under the Biden and Trump administrations. 'There may be some challenges. At the same time, having the Supreme Court decision from Trump 1.0 could put this administration in a really strong position.' Trump's team has been refining his latest travel ban for months, marking a departure from his slapdash approach in 2017. The president on Wednesday said the State Department considered factors such as terrorist activity, visa security cooperation, a country's ability to verify travelers' identities, record keeping of nationals' criminal histories, as well as the rate of illegal visa overstays. The proclamation also broke down the government's reasoning for each country's selection, as well as their visa overstay rates. 'Campaigning is a lot about policy and planning, and governing is about the now and reacting, so this has been a true mix' said Matthew Bartlett, a GOP strategist and former Trump administration appointee. 'Granted, Trump take two has been arguably the largest runway any president has ever had in terms of preparing for their second term. So I think you're seeing more of the granular and nuanced implementation around some of these policies.' Trump's 2017 restrictions shocked the nation, and legal setbacks forced the administration to alter the policy twice before the Supreme Court ultimately upheld a version the following year, affirming the president's powers over matters of national security. The final policy implemented a range of travel restrictions for nationals of eight countries — Syria, Libya, Yemen, Somalia, North Korea, Chad and Venezuela. Chad was later removed from the list. And almost immediately after that first order was announced, thousands of protesters marched in cities across the country, while attorneys from major law firms, nonprofits and immigrant rights groups ran to airports to help those detained. There was widespread Democratic outcry in Washington and beyond, and the so-called 'Muslim ban' emerged as a major issue in the 2020 Democratic Primary — with then-President Joe Biden reversing the policy on his first day in the White House. White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said Democrats have abandoned claims that Trump's first-term policy was a 'Muslim ban' and 'their performative protests,' adding that the president is 'keeping his promises to put America first.' This executive order has also been met with far less outrage, in part, because of the administration's effort to flood the zone and keep their opponents off balance. 'There's just so many attacks coming from the Trump administration on all fronts,' said Kerri Talbot, co-director of the Immigration Hub, predicting that when the new order takes effect on Monday, there will be coordinated demonstrations. But the more methodical way in which this ban on travel was issued may give it greater staying power. The 2017 ban applied to U.S. citizens traveling from the nations on Trump's original list and because it went into effect immediately, it affected people on planes flying back into the country. The ban issued late Wednesday does not apply to those with legal status in the U.S., and includes exemptions for existing visa holders, lawful permanent residents and some others. While the political pushback may be scarce, Trump wasn't the only one who had extra time to prepare for his second term. Immigration groups and legal organizations have analyzed Trump's proposals, drafted legal briefs, coordinated messaging and organized aid for immigrants and asylum seekers — preparation that has set up a series of contentious court battles. Trump allies are prepared for the possibility that travel ban 2.0 could face challenges in the courts, though they're much more confident given the 2018 SCOTUS ruling. 'I have no doubt that they believe that you can get some lower court judge to issue an injunction where they claim that somehow this order is different from the prior order,' said Hans Von Spakovsky, a senior legal and judicial studies fellow at the conservative Heritage Foundation. 'But they will lose.' Brakkton Booker and Kyle Cheney contributed to this report.
