McALLEN, Texas (AP) — The Biden administration announced they waived 26 federal laws in South Texas to allow border wall construction on Wednesday, marking the administration’s first use of a sweeping executive power employed often during the Trump presidency.
The Clean Air Act, Safe Drinking Water Act and Endangered Species Act were some of the federal laws waived by DHS to make way for construction that will use funds from a congressional appropriation in 2019 for border wall construction.
Starr County Judge Eloy Vera said it will start south of the Falcon Dam and go past Salineño, Texas.
“A border wall is a 14th century solution to a 21st century problem.
It will not bolster border security in Starr County,” U.S. Representative Henry Cuellar said in a statement.
Persons:
—, Trump, Alejandro Mayorkas, Starr, Eloy Vera, ” Eloy Vera, Laiken, Greg Abbott, Biden, Henry Cuellar, “, Dan Stein, ”
Organizations:
Biden, Department of Homeland Security, U.S . Federal, Patrol, Act, DHS, Wildlife, Center for Biological Diversity, Texas, U.S . Customs, Protection, Democratic, ” U.S, Federation for American Immigration Reform
Locations:
McALLEN , Texas, South Texas, Starr County , Texas, United States, Zapata, McAllen , Texas, Lower Rio Grande, Starr, Salineño , Texas, U.S, Eagle, “, Starr County, ”