Reports indicate that materials from the border wall were offered for sale starting at just $5.
A federal judge has ordered the Biden administration not to sell sections of the U.S.–Mexico border wall, which would enable President-elect Donald Trump to utilize these materials.
On December 17, the State of Texas
initiated a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, McAllen Division following allegations that the Biden administration was auctioning off segments of the border wall along the U.S.–Mexico border.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced a legal victory in this case after a hearing on Friday.
The Biden administration conceded to a court order that prohibits the federal government from “disposing of any additional border wall materials for the next 30 days, allowing President Trump to use those materials as he deems necessary,” according to Paxton’s office.
Should this order be violated, the court holds the power to enforce it.
“This comes after our significant victory compelling [President Joe] Biden to construct the wall, and we will hold his administration accountable for illegally undermining our nation’s border security until the final day in office, particularly because their actions seemingly aim to obstruct President-elect Trump’s immigration policy,” Paxton remarked in a statement on December 27
released to the public.Congress had
allocated approximately $1.4 billion to construct fencing along the southern border in response to Trump’s efforts to combat illegal immigration. After taking office, Biden issued an executive order halting construction of the wall and requested the Department of Homeland Security to repurpose the funds for different initiatives.
In May 2024, Attorney General Paxton obtained a court order compelling the Biden administration to utilize the funds for the border wall. Disposing of portions of the border wall purchased with these funds would constitute a breach of this order.
The lawsuit filed on December 17 was prompted by reports that the federal government “might be auctioning off up to half a mile per day of border wall sections at a negligible fraction of their original cost,” stated Paxton’s office. “Some reports suggest the government is listing entire wall panel sections for a starting bid of merely $5.”
Border Security
During a press conference on December 16, Trump
commented he had conferred with Texas officials concerning the alleged auction of wall components.
“We will end up spending hundreds of millions of dollars more to build the same wall we already possess,” Trump remarked. “It’s nearly a criminal act.”
The president-elect noted his conversation with Paxton about obtaining a restraining order against such measures. “Today, I’m asking you, Joe Biden, please stop selling the wall,” Trump urged.
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick compared the sale of the border wall to “treating our national security like a yard sale,” as stated in a December 16 post on X
platform. “This is not merely a conflict with the incoming president—it’s a battle for the American people.”
Last year, the Biden administration
authorized the construction of 20 miles of the southern border wall, asserting he had no alternative but to allow the allocation of federal funds for this purpose.
“The funds were specifically allocated for the border wall. I attempted to have them redirected,” Biden explained in a speech. When questioned about the effectiveness of the border wall, he asserted, “no.”
In 2020, the Department of Homeland Security
testified that the border wall had led to a decline in illegal crossings, drug smuggling, and human trafficking incidents.
Earlier this year, Melissa Dalton, the assistant secretary of defense for Homeland Defense and Hemispheric Affairs, informed lawmakers that “a border barrier can significantly reduce the flow of illegal immigrants.”
Additionally, a significant portion of the American populace supports the construction of a U.S.–Mexico border wall. A Monmouth University
poll conducted in February revealed that 58% of respondents were in favor of such an initiative, surpassing the previous high of 48% recorded in 2015.
