The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently outlined the plan for allocating border barrier funds ending wall expansion to the extent permitted by law.
The prior administration sought to spend over $15 billion on wall construction, diverting more than $10 billion of those funds from military projects and other sources. The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) is terminating all border wall projects using diverted funds while returning the remaining unobligated funds to their original sources.
DHS will prioritize remaining border barrier funds to address and remediate urgent life, safety, and environmental issues resulting from the previous border wall construction, including closing breaches in the Rio Grande Valley Levee System; remediating soil erosion in San Diego by authorizing necessary backfill projects to ensure the safety of nearby border communities; and prioritizing the use of remaining funds consistent with appropriated purposes for necessary clean-up of construction sites previously funded by the DoD.
DHS will also initiate a comprehensive review including detailed environmental impact analysis and remediation, in addition to engagement with relevant stakeholders.
The process, according to authorities, will involve border community residents, elected representatives, tribal communities, and environmental and other interested non-governmental organizations and advocates.
The Biden administration has encouraged lawmakers to cancel funds previously appropriated for border barrier projects that will instead be used for modern border measures enhancing safety and security.