DHS to cancel two Laredo border barrier contracts

Aligning with its Plan for Use of Border Barrier Funds, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is terminating two Laredo Sector border barrier contracts.

CBP officials said the contracts are unnecessary to address any life, safety, environmental, or other remediation requirements described in the DHS Border Wall Plan.

The Laredo Sector action represents the first contract terminations via Plan for Use of Border Barrier Funds guidance, which officials said frames border barrier construction decisions that include ending wall expansion to the extent permitted by law.

The scope of the terminated contracts included 31 miles of border barrier construction funded with the DHS Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 appropriations. Construction had not begun and no land acquisition was initiated.

DHS will continue to review other paused border barrier projects and is presently determining which projects may be necessary to address life, safety, environmental, or other remediation requirements.

According to the DHS, the prior administration sought to spend over $15 billion on wall construction. The current administration is advocating lawmakers cancel remaining border wall funding instead of funding land ports border technology and modernization efforts proven to improve border safety and security.