President-elect Trump is asking a court to intervene in the alleged sale of border wall materials, saying the Biden administration sold the materials after Congress requested it.
The Trump campaign's new filing relies on a report in the conservative Daily Wire that reported the Biden administration is conducting a “fire sale” of materials used to build the wall.
But the article's claims contradict language in last year's defense policy bill that requires the administration to distribute or sell unused border wall material. The government followed suit over the summer.
“Today, President Trump filed an amicus brief in the Southern District of Texas, asking a highly respected federal judge to immediately end the Biden administration’s reported “fire sale” of border wall materials at rock-bottom prices and to investigate. requested to order. “Any attempt by Biden officials to thwart President Trump's border wall project is, as our brief alleges, illegal, unconstitutional and possibly criminal,” a Trump campaign spokesperson said. , Stephen Chan said in a statement.
“President Trump will not be deterred from building a wall.”
The filing is the latest in a long legal battle over President Trump's border wall, as well as a fight in Congress over whether and how to fund and build it.
Congress last year asked the Biden administration to dispose of unused portions of the border wall, a provision that was written by Republicans, administration officials said.
The measure, included in the sweeping National Defense Authorization Act, would allow the sale of goods to states on the southern border, provided they are used to renovate existing barriers rather than erect new ones. Or accept donations.
But the Pentagon said it could not prevent further sales because all surplus border wall material had already been distributed.
Customs and Border Protection in Texas and California each requested and received the materials months ago, officials said. The rest was sold to GovPlanet, which buys up government surplus and auctions it off.
The company is selling these materials that are no longer owned by the government.
Part of the lawsuit is based on allegations that military-held materials were improperly transferred to the Department of Homeland Security. “It's certainly not entirely clear,” the lawyers said, but it could have implications for other rulings on how the department should handle the material.
“This is material that should be used for future border construction, including under President Trump, who took office a month later, and the people purchasing the material know that,” the complaint alleges. There is.
During his first term, President Trump promoted the construction of a wall between the United States and Mexico.52 miles of 458 builtUnder his presidency, a new organization was launched, rather than a replacement.
Interruptions and commencement of wall construction left many areas in need of repair.
Mr. Biden sought to halt border wall construction entirely, which also spurred legal challenges, with funds in some cases being used to address partially completed construction. In some cases, the regime was forced to complete portions of the wall.
The Associated Press contributed.
