Biden Says He Can’t Stop Border Wall Construction

President Joe Biden said Thursday he can’t prevent his administration from building additional border barriers in Texas as funds were already appropriated for the construction.

Biden told reporters at the White House that he tried to redirect money that was appropriated for the border wall, but “they didn’t. They wouldn’t.”

“In the meantime, there’s nothing under the law other than they have to use the money for what it was appropriated for. I can’t stop that," Biden said.

 Asked if he thought the border wall was effective, Biden responded: "No."

The message runs counter to the one issued by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who on Wednesday posted an announcement on the U.S. Federal Register that there is "presently an acute and immediate need to construct physical barriers and roads in the vicinity of the border of the United States in order to prevent unlawful entries into the United States."

The Biden administration announced Wednesday that it would waive 26 laws to build additional border barriers in the Rio Grande Valley. 

The Department of Homeland Security said it plans on installing "additional fencing, barriers, roads, lighting, cameras, and sensors on the southwest border" in the Rio Grande Valley Sector, an area of "high illegal entry."

White House communications director Ben LaBolt said on X, formerly known as Twitter, that funds for roughly 20 miles of border reinforcements were appropriated in 2019, before Biden took office.

"Rule of law requires the project be completed in 2023," LaBolt said.

Nicole Gaudiano contributed to this story.