The Biden administration has recently announced that 26 federal laws were waived to allow border wall construction in Texas, marking the administration’s first use of an executive power often used by former President Trump to fund projects along the southern border. As said, the waived laws will help expedite the construction of barriers and roads in Starr County, Texas, which is experiencing high illegal entry into the United States, while the number exceeded to several hundred thousands per annum in the recent years.
The US-Mexico border wall has been a contentious issue in American politics. It was a key campaign promise by former Republican President Donald Trump, who sought to enhance border security in an attempt to curb illegal immigration and improve national security. On the other hand, American Democrats had always opposed the construction of a 560 kilometers long fence alongside US-Mexico in Texas while terming it a waste of money, environmentally harmful, and ineffective. Shortly after landing into the White House in early 2021, Biden canceled the state of emergency declared by former President Trump on the southern border with Mexico and later slashed projects to build the wall. Interestingly, the debate over border security and immigration policy continued to be a significant political and social issue in the United States in the past two years until President Biden took U-turn by overriding more than two dozen federal legislations to pave the way for the construction of the so-called ineffective and deadly border wall.
Previously, Trump diverted billions in defense and military construction funds toward building a wall, a central focus of his 2016 campaign as the Congress refused to fully fund the project because democrats resolutely opposed that initiative. Due to which President Trump used its executive authority for diverting funds from DoD and other expenses that is interestingly repeated by his successor and determined adversary President Biden.
In fact, unreal sloganeering and preaching daydreams is a hobby of politicians that is crucial for boosting politics and improving ratings among the public. Both American leaders have played with sensitive foreign policy, trade and security matters of their country, made false claims and wrong decisions to grab support of the masses. Historically, Trump upheld his promises with the public and paid heavy political price for his fake nationalism, while President Biden betrayed his voters through compromise over his electoral manifesto including support for human rights, democracy, immigration together with Palestine issue and border wall. Interestingly, Biden’s recent U-turn over the Border wall has actually sabotaged his politics while reducing the scope for his reelection next year. Although, leaders have no scarcity of logic and philosophies yet the style of governance exposes their true stature to the public.
