The Department of Defense has identified $12.8 billion in funds from projects that can be reallocated to the construction of a wall on the U.S.–Mexico border.
Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) released a spreadsheet from the Pentagon on March 18 that lists military construction projects from which funds can be taken for the construction of a border wall.
President Donald Trump declared a national emergency on the southwest border in February and ordered the Pentagon to shift $3.6 billion from the military construction budget to the border wall.
The Pentagon list represents an initial step in the vetting process to decide which project funds will be tapped for the wall. The criteria for the selection included only projects that have not yet been awarded as of December 2018. Projects with award dates in the fiscal year 2019, military housing, barracks, and dormitory projects will not be impacted, according to the fact sheet.
The Defense Department identified construction projects on overseas bases, including in Spain, Japan, and Italy, as well as domestic bases across the nation, including in New York, Texas, and California.
“The appearance of any project within the pool does not mean that the project will, in fact, be used to source [national emergency] projects,” the Defense Department said in a statement (pdf).
Congress passed a resolution last week to terminate Trump’s emergency declaration, but the president issued his first veto to block it. A dozen Republican senators defied Trump on the termination vote, but it is unlikely more will defect if there is a vote to override the veto. The declaration also faces legal challenges, although the White House is certain it will prevail.
Trump declared a national emergency after Democrats in Congress blocked all efforts to approve $5.7 billion for a border wall requested by the Department of Homeland Security. Congress appropriated $1.4 billion for border wall construction, far short of Trump’s request.
“I’d like to thank all of the Great Republican Senators who bravely voted for Strong Border Security and the WALL,” Trump wrote on Twitter on March 15. “This will help stop Crime, Human Trafficking, and Drugs entering our Country. Watch, when you get back to your State, they will LOVE you more than ever before!”
In addition to shifting $3.6 billion by using the emergency declaration, Trump ordered the reallocation of an additional $3.1 billion from the Treasury and Defense departments, which did not require an emergency declaration.
Illegal border crossings are on pace to reach nearly 1 million this year. In February alone, 66,000 people crossed the border illegally, according to the border patrol. An additional 10,000 were detained after presenting at a port of entry without proper paperwork.
Large groups of more than 100 migrants crossing the border illegally are a new trend at the border this year.
In one instance, Border agents encountered 334 illegal aliens who had been dropped off by eight commercial buses right at the U.S.–Mexico border, according to Kevin McAleenan, the commissioner of Customs and Border Protection.
More than 70 such large groups have been apprehended by Border Patrol so far this fiscal year—compared to 13 such large groups in all of fiscal 2018.
Get it done NOW!
Has to be built for the safety of our citizens.
I’d like to know how my state’s republicans voted in connection with the wall. If they voted against, they are out as far as my vote is concerned. Republicans in Kansas.
It is my impression that the border has become a catch and release fiasco. I find it hard to believe anything will get done before the next election. Government moves quickly only to reward or commend itself.
All the people in Washington who are opposed to The Wall or the building of it should come down here in the Southern United States where we border with Mexico and see, watch, what is going on!!!! In El Paso Texas the illegals are coming in in droves!!! With children that aren’t even theirs, complaining of the life they have in their country, and its not only people from Mexico coming in. Something has to give: we need the Wall for petes sake. If they want to come to America, do it LEGALLY!!! We have to support Trump on this mess. I wonder why all these illegals are coming here, is someone with money paying the “coyotes” to bring them to the border and dumping them off? It’s happening in El Paso right now and the Juarez police seem to be helping.
Democrats and RINOs are threatening our nation’s security and prosperity. Their policies are a detriment to all Americans and a boon to foreign invaders, terrorists, human and drug traffickers, the Mexican drug cartels, the sex slave industry, the lobby relying on cheap undocumented labor without having to pay taxes and benefits, and the Democrat Party that is attempting to replace, and disenfranchise the American electorate with those foreign invaders. The ruse of the Democrat Party being pro American workers is a farce and flies in the face of all facts.
GREAT news, apparently no “Deep State” left in charge at the Pentagon. GREAT news for MY America!!! #2TermTrump
Leave Trump alone and free him to fix America.
It s time everyone supports President Trump. Maybe illegal immigration hasn’t reach you, but it eventually will!
We need to secure our borders NOW! We also need to go after the ones responsible for things like the eight commercial busloads of people who were dropped off at the US/Mexico border. Someone is paying for it, and most likely making tons of money charging people for the ride. Putting a stop to them can only help.
We definitely need something built to stop the caravans of people. I haven’t seen these folks adopt an entire family and sponsor then 100% yet. so they don’t put their money where their mouths are. a million more w/o jobs; medical; homes; food; where will they go? I have been told by a border patrol that the jails in Texas are full of criminals; murder, robbery, heavy drugs. not the kind of people you want to live nearby. there are some peaceful folks who do want to come here and maybe for safety too. But we have to find a way to vet them and not let them in until they are vetted.
MS13 gang members, criminals released from Honduras jails for murder, robbery etc. drug lords, and those that sick carrying diseases into America. Ellis Island did all of that when it was open. Many were turned away from our borders back then. We NEVER let just anyone in once we were established. you had to come in legally and be vetted.
All I can say is Praise the Lord for allowing these monies to be found!
I sincerely hope that there are viable candidates to oppose these 12 in a primary. Most of them are pure RINOs and the rest have really disappointed as of late. When the NYT, an over the top leftist rag, says that the border is at a breaking point, you know it’s BAD! BUILD THE WALL ALREADY!!!
This is awesome, I agree we can cut some of the overseas installation improvements. We invest millions on installations overseas which belong to the host governments. And when we leave they keep everything, so they can foot some of the cost to renovate.
Letz get it ????done
Excellent news! We are behind you all the way, President Trump!
BUILD THAT WALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Fund the Wall Build Wall NOW.
Awesome! Do it now before the socialists/communists find another way to stop it.
I think if we looked at the other departments in our government we could find plenty of waste to put up for the construction of the wall
Those dimwit republicans that voted against the wall need to be drained with the rest of the swamp.
Who pays for these buses. If these people want to come to the U S A & reports I have seen & heard it costs $7000 / adult. If they don’t gave a job where are they getting their money?
It’s all a sham by whom George & Obama. Now Obama has more latatude now he’s not President!t! We no all about this latitude he said the same thing to the former President Of RUSSIA! Just like he paid Rev. Jeramia Rice $150,000 to keep his mouth shut during the campaign! Is this a bribe?
Ted Cruz has stated repeatedly, that there is $14 billion dollars in assets from the El Chapo drug cartel to be seized. Why not use that money? Drug money to build the wall, which will prevent drugs from entering our country has got to be a win win for President Trump as well as securing our southern border.
Unless the politicians who are against the wall tear down the walls around their homes, they are total hypocrites! We need that wall, the sooner the better! Thank you, President Trump, for caring about our country!
The aliens at the CENTER of this issue are:
1. Entering across our SOUTHERN border.
2. For the most part in POVERTY.
3. In violation of the LAW.
Hmmm….
My (d) Representative (Sarbanes) says that all of us are wrong in wanting a wall built. He even echoes his side’s media as proof!
The DOD should use the money in defending our nation first! It’s about time we use the tax payers money here at home protecting our nation before spending it on other countries like Spain, Japan, Italy etc.
It’s called COMMON SENSE FIRST!!
Defend the HOMELAND
Build the wall!!!!
Reminds me of the scene from the movie Dave how when people put their minds to reasonable spending they can do it.
Whatever it takes to build the wall! Get it started soon, because there are more projects on the list that need some attention:
1. The national debt
2. National cybersecurity (U.S. Navy, and probably others, hacked!)
3. The 2020 election (the threat of socialism)
4. China, North Korea, Venezuela
5. Health care, and the stupidity of Medicare for All
6. Keeping the economy going in high gear
7. Fixing public education
8. No more federal funds for sanctuary cities and states, or for colleges and universities that don’t respect the First Amendment
9. Long term health of Medicare and Social Security
10. AG Barr–get after Hillary, Strzok, and that whole mess. Equal justice for all.
11. etc…..
Thank God for President Trump. One more step toward taking our country back. The dems need another strong beating in 2020.
Thankful! We need the wall!
Go for it.
wrote to my Senator and received back a letter that was a copy of the editorial he published in the local major newspaper. The Congress, if they were sincere about security and sincere about exercising their Article 1 duties wouldn’t waste time with a meaningless cease and desist order to the President ( for powers ceded to him by a past lazy Congress) and would pass legislation to repeal the original legislation and take on the mantle of responsibility designated in the Constitution. My Senator did not address my concerns about this and crowed about his meaningless past “support” for a barrier at the border. These people are senseless.
While they are building the wall why not deport every liberal leftist, bent on destroying this great nation, on the Mexico side of the wall.
He needs $5.7B and they found $12.8. Use the leftover to wall in San Fran, New York, Detroit and Chicago! Don’t let anyone out of any sanctuary city without proper paperwork! Our crime rate would be cut in half for the rest of the country!
The left does not want anything permanent built. They plan to defund anything for border security as soon as they can get rid of Trump. They will defund the Border Patrol staff, ICE, equipment monitoring staff, new equipment, fixing equipment, office equipment, cameras, computers, vehicles – everything they can.
The Judicial Watch Verdict, March 2019, reported a ” ‘crisis’ of seriously ill migrants at the border…..TB, Pneumonia, Influenza and parasites”. They said medical experts “confirm that illegal immigrants do indeed pose a serious public health threat to the U.S. by bringing dangerous diseases into the country, including tuberculosis, dengue, and chikungunya”. Federal agents are referring “50 illegal immigrants A DAY for urgent medical care”. Americans providing sanctuary for immigrants of illegal entry may end up starting an epidemic. Maybe that is what it will take for them to wake up! In the meantime, taxpayers will have to provide urgent medical care, while forfeiting medical care themselves (like ‘moi’). [I have no health care now, due to exponential increases in insurance costs for my age, and do not (yet) qualify for medicare.]
For many reasons, the wall must be built. The price of the wall is cheap when compared to the costs associated with
taking care of 750,000 to 1,000,000. new illegal aliens that will cross the boarder in 2019. Congress could put a halt to
this nonsense but the “Dimocraps” need new voters to replace the ones who will leave the party and vote Republican
due to the progressive and socialist policies of the “Far Left.
We need to support our President. He was elected to drain the swamp. He works 24/7 for all Americans and has faced opposition like no other President.
Mr. President, your leadership is so refreshing in Washington, DC. Keep fighting!!!!!
Anyone that says no to the wall should have their fence, wall, gate or barrier that keeps “people” out removed.
Either you are or are not for barriers.
It is insane that this has to be discussed and explained so many times each day. Write up a succinct statement with the pertinent facts and hand it to anyone who doesn’t get it or ignores reality. Let’s spend time on other issues that require discussion while implementing the required border security (wall, personnel, technology, etc.).
Thank God for a PRESIDENT FOR THE TRUE AMERICAN CITIZEN…get the wall build asap. Stop all those ileagles from entering…. make them do it PROPER…. Send all the gutless DEMS out of the country
Here in the land of OZ, the wizard (let’s call her Pelosi) lives behind fences and gates, with armed security and protection. But the rest of us are immoral for wanting exactly the same thing. The next busload of illegals should be let off in her driveway. They would just love the work of tearing down Pelosi’s fences and there would be some leftover to provide security.
Good, let get going and if the DNC’ommunists in congress have their way we may have to shoot both ways!
Great job mr. President ????