Biden continues construction of controversial Trump border wall

US President Joe Biden has continued the building of the controversial Trump border wall, breaking his campaign promise to stop its construction. 

The Biden administration authorized the completion of the Trump-funded US-Mexico border wall, The Hill reported on Tuesday. 

It said the Biden administration on Thursday defended a decision by Homeland Security to continue with the construction of the controversial wall.

Homeland Security had cited safety concerns regarding asylum seekers headed for the United States for the decision to close four gaps in the border wall in an open area of southern Arizona near Yuma.

It said that the area presents safety and life hazard risks for both asylum-seekers and agents, particularly around a section of the Colorado River in Yuma.

US border authorities have reported 235,230 encounters between border agents and asylum seekers in the section since October of 2021.

In the meantime, Biden, who said back in August 2020, “There will not be another foot of wall constructed on my administration. Not another foot,” has continued to carry on with his predecessor's controversial border policy.

“I think the White House is trying to view it as a safety issue and maybe trying to get a better grasp and concentrate things more … We don’t have enough officers, there are not enough Border Protection Officers to be at every single section of the wall and every part of the border to see who’s coming in. So by doing this, you may be able to concentrate it a little bit more and put officers where they need to be so they can get a better idea of who’s coming in,” said immigration attorney Saman Nasseri.

“If you’re asking me point blank, I mean, he’s filling in an area of the wall that is known for people to be crossing through and coming through the border … to get to that part of the Colorado River and they cross the river. And this is kind of like a landing ground for people from all over the world. They know this,” he said.

Nasseri noted that the previous administration wanted those gaps and the wall filled as well. Now, Biden’s team is following up on that goal, getting the construction done.

“They’re taking that budget that was allocated for this,” Nasseri said.

Nasseri noted with the new construction to close off the gaps new hotspots will occur in places such as Arizona, Texas, and San Diego.

“They’re going to make their way through that wall because they’re determined. They came here with a purpose, they’re not just going to turn around and go because this, you know, this gap is gonna get filled in,” Nasseri insisted.

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