Report: President Trump to order US-Mexico border wall construction
Jan 24, 2017, 8:36 PM | Updated: Jan 25, 2017, 12:24 pm
(AP Photos)
(AP Photos)
PHOENIX — President Donald Trump is expected to order the construction of a border wall between the U.S. and Mexico on Wednesday, according to the New York Times.
White House officials confirmed the plans to the Times and Trump tweeted out his intentions in a late-night tweet storm on Tuesday.
Big day planned on NATIONAL SECURITY tomorrow. Among many other things, we will build the wall!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 25, 2017
The construction of the border wall will aim to target the influx of illegal immigrants from Mexico and crack down on the drug trade between the two countries.
After months of debate, it still is not clear who would fund the construction. Trump has insisted that Mexico will either pay for it or reimburse taxpayers for the cost. Mexico has repeatedly said it will not pay for any border wall.
Trump himself estimated construction of the border wall will cost about $12 billion, although experts say the price tag could reach well past $38 billion.
However, Arizona lawmakers, including Gov. Doug Ducey, are pledging to maintain a strong business relationship with Mexico in order to build the state’s economy in 2017.
Trump will meet with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto at the White House next week.
It isn’t the only immigration-related move Trump is expected to make on Wednesday: Reports circulated late Tuesday that the president will sign an executive order to include a temporary ban on refugees from Syria and other majority-Muslim countries.
The current proposal includes at least a four-month halt on all refugee admissions, as well as temporary ban on people coming from some Muslim majority countries, according to a representative of a public policy organization that monitors refugee issues.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
