Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem issued what is likely to be the first of many waivers on Tuesday to expedite the building of additional miles of the border wall between Mexico and the United States along the California border.
On his first day in office, President Donald Trump issued an executive order declaring a national emergency at the southern border of the U.S. The order cited increased “chaos and suffering” inflicted on American citizens and authorized the military and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to “take all appropriate action” to obtain “full operational control of the southern border.”
“To cut through bureaucratic delays, DHS is waiving environmental laws — including the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) — that can stall vital projects for months or even years. This waiver clears the path for the rapid deployment of physical barriers where they are needed most, reinforcing our commitment to national security and the rule of law,” DHS said in a statement.
Cameron Walkup, associate legislative representative for the environmental group Earthjustice issued a statement condemning the administration’s actions. “Waiving environmental, cultural preservation, and good governance laws that protect clean air and clean water, safeguard precious cultural resources, and preserve vibrant ecosystems and biodiversity will only cause further harm to border communities and ecosystems,” the group wrote in a response to Noem’s waiver.
The group cited tribal land usage and local community objection to the wall adding, “Rather than rushing to spend tens of billions of dollars to help President Trump build even more wasteful border wall through a budget reconciliation package, Congress should focus on rescinding these waivers and remediating the significant damage that has already been caused by the wall.”
The border wall was a much promised yet under-delivered aspect of Trump’s first term in office. Vice President JD Vance said last month the administration’s goal is to see it completed by the end of his current term. Trump and his Cabinet officials have noted that the wall is only one facet of a secure border which includes drones, AI technology and deportations.
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