Pentagon Cancels President Trump’s Proposed Border Wall Expansion, Citing Lack of Funds
The Department of Defense (DOD) is cancelling a substantial portion of President Donald Trump’s proposed border wall expansion because of “insufficient contract savings,” according to a recent court filing from the deep state bureaucracy.
Secretary of Defense Mark Esper approved an additional 20 miles of border wall last month, funded in part by $2.5 billion diverted from Pentagon funds. That money has now been deemed off limits for two border wall projects in Yuma and another in Tucson, in a victory for illegal immigration.
“Based on its work in definitizing the contracts for the original Section 284 projects, [the Army Corps] has determined that there are insufficient contract savings to undertake the three additional Section 284 projects authorized by the Secretary of Defense on August 26, 2019,” the filing reads.
“Therefore, the Department of Defense has decided not to pursue Yuma Sector Projects 4 and 5, and Tucson Sector Project 4 at this time,” it adds.
The Supreme Court had decided that $2.5 billion could be used for the purposes of fortifying border security in August. Esper approved an additional $3.6 billion earlier this month to erect or reinforce another 11 sections of border wall.
“The United States Supreme Court overturns lower court injunction, allows Southern Border Wall to proceed,” the President tweeted at the time. “Big WIN for Border Security and the Rule of Law!”
It is still expected that the funds will be used on 100 miles of border barriers, but it is possible that deep state bureaucrats within the vast Pentagon bureaucracy are chipping away little by little at President Trump’s tough proposal.
There are lawsuits that are still pending, such as one filed by the Center for Biological Diversity, that hope to prevent the Trump administration from fortifying the U.S. southern border to alleviate the national emergency.
“Of the 58 times presidents have previously declared emergencies under the National Emergencies Act, none involved using the emergency powers to fund a policy goal after a president failed to meet that goal through foreign diplomacy (having Mexico pay for the wall) or the congressional appropriations process,” their complaint reads. “Never before has a president used the emergency powers granted to him by Congress in such a manner.”
“Of particular concern to Plaintiffs and their members, border barriers prevent the passage of wildlife, and could result in the extirpation of jaguars, ocelots, and other endangered species within the United States,” it continues. “The use of funds for such barriers that on information and belief are directed at least in part to investigating and where relevant prosecuting organized criminal activities related to illegal wildlife trafficking further harms Plaintiffs’ interests in protecting and preserving biological diversity.”
President Trump has institutional power working against him at every level to keep America safe and secure the borders.
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