U.S. Customs & Border Protection Terminates Border Wall Construction Projects

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Friday that the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will terminate two border wall contracts in the Laredo Sector that cover about 31 miles.

The contracts were previously funded with DHS fiscal year appropriations, but one of President Joe Biden‘s first aims in office was to stop wall construction projects. After a further review, Biden has ordered a halt of funds budgeted for the military or DHS going toward wall projects.

The Biden Administration has ordered that the funds be used for higher-priority projects. The White House Office of Management and Budget said that it would return $2 million for military projects. According to the CBP, in 2019, 340 miles of the border were built using Pentagon funds. At one point, each mile of border wall cost $46 million.  Now that the CBP has ordered the termination of two border wall segments, DHS is planning on using some of its funds for environmental projects.

Biden’s 2022 budget proposal is requesting $1 billion for border infrastructure, like technology that would detect migrant crossings. No money has been requested for further wall construction.