Joe Biden Approves to Continue Donald Trump-Era Border Wall Project in California and Close Friendship Park

The administration of President Joe Biden has green-lighted the continuing of a Donald Trump-era project to complete a section of the border wall in California.

According to the Daily Mail, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas approved the border wall designs, which the Trump administration initially authorized in the budget for the Fiscal Year 2018.

The new plan would reportedly replace the existing barriers with two 30-foot walls across Friendship Park. It does not have a spot for a door on the U.S. side of Friendship Park, meaning pedestrians will no longer be able to get through to the park once this project is completed.

Friendship Park is reportedly a binational spot between San Diego in California and Tijuana in Mexico, where separated families could meet and touch without a wall between them. People from Mexico's side could still enter the park.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, people were allowed to enter Friendship Park each weekend through gates on the U.S. side of the wall. However, New York Post reported that this practice was stopped in 2020.

John Fanestil, head of the San Diego-based Friends of Friendship Park coalition, opposed the project since it would permanently close the U.S. side of the "historic" park.

In a statement, Fanestil said: "Joe Biden should not be putting the finishing touches on Donald Trump's border wall at Friendship Park."

Joe Biden Under Fire After Stopping Construction of Donald Trump's Border Wall

Joe Biden was criticized for his decision to halt the construction of former President Donald Trump's border wall.

Early into his term, Biden ordered a "pause" on all border wall constructions within a week. It was one of the 17 executive actions he issued on his first day at the White House, alongside six other immigration-related dealings.

Biden reportedly did not want to build "another foot" of the controversial border wall. He gave his administration two months to find out how much it would cost to cancel contracts related to the construction and whether the money for the border wall could be spent elsewhere.

Republicans slammed Biden for his decision to stop progress on the border wall. In particular, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy accused the president of putting illegal immigrants' welfare before Americans.

McCarthy believed that Biden's first immigration orders were the "wrong priorities at the wrong time" and that the president should instead focus on the needs of Americans.

Rep. Diana Harshbarger called Biden's border wall pause a "liberal agenda." For her, the president's decision to halt the border wall construction was a way to "score points with the international community."

Border Wall Materials Left Unused in Texas After Joe Biden Cancelled Remaining Contracts

Joe Biden's order reportedly left billions of dollars worth of construction work on the unfinished border wall.

Last October, drone footage from Fox News revealed that materials for the project were left to waste in Texas.

The footage revealed the stacks of roughly 10,000 steel panels left sitting in Texas since January last year reportedly cost up to $100 million. The steels were seen rusting as they continued to remain under the sun.

Each steel panel was reported to cost about $5,000, which the taxpayers already paid.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Joshua Summers

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