Biden ending work on wall is wrong move, Border Patrol union chief says

PHOENIX – President Joe Biden’s proclamation to stop work on the border wall between the United States and Mexico could come back to haunt him, president of the National Border Patrol Council said.

“These are actions that don’t seem like he’s interested in a second term because it’s going to hurt him down the road,” Judd told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Arizona’s Morning News early Thursday, Biden’s first full day in office.

Biden signed more than a dozen executive orders Wednesday, his inauguration day, including one to end the national emergency declaration Donald Trump’s administration used to redirect funds for wall construction. The work along the southern border is to stop “as soon as possible but in no case later than seven days,” the proclamation read.

Departments involved in the project were directed to, among other things: assess the legality of the funding and contracting methods used to construct the wall; assess the administrative and contractual consequences of ceasing each wall project; and to “the extent permitted by law” immediately pause the obligation of funds related to its construction.

“The vast majority of the American public has said repeatedly that they want border security. When you’ve got the vast majority saying it, then you take action that is not going to give border security the American public wants, then he’s not unifying, he’s actually dividing further.”

Construction on the wall continues, Judd said, because work has already been paid for.

Arizona didn’t see much of the construction, but “we did get several miles and those miles helped,” he said.

“The vast majority of the people that are crossing the border illegally are crossing in areas where we do not have walls. That is proof positive that walls works,” Judd added.

Follow @ktar923