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Biden Says He Can’t Stop New Border Barrier Plan

President Joe Biden said Thursday he was unable to legally divert money away from a plan to build several miles of new barriers along the southern border – directly contradicting his campaign vow to build “not another foot of wall” and drawing harsh criticism from Mexico’s president.

A notice to allow construction in Texas was released Wednesday night in the Federal Register, the official U.S. government gazette.

“There is presently an acute and immediate need to construct physical barriers and roads in the vicinity of the border,” Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in the notice.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection counted 232,972 encounters on the Southwest border in August, the last month for which figures are available. Most migrants crossing overland come from Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras.

Mexico’s president swiftly decried the move.

“This authorization for the construction of the wall is a step backwards,” President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said during his daily press conference. “That does not solve the problem, that does not solve the problem. We have to address the causes.”

In order to allow construction, the administration had to waive a number of federal regulations relating to environmental, historical and Indigenous issues. Biden also argued that the funds had been appropriated in 2019 by the previous administration.

“The money was appropriated for the border wall,” Biden said Thursday, when asked by reporters about what appeared to be a reversal in the administration’s border policy. “I tried to get them to reappropriate it, to redirect that money. They didn’t. They wouldn’t. And in the meantime, there’s nothing under the law other than they have to use the money for what it was appropriated. I can’t stop that.”

A reporter then asked him, “Do you believe the border wall works?”

“No,” he said.

In a call with reporters, administration officials noted that the structures will be on “moveable foundations.”

Former President Donald Trump was quick to react to the news.

“As I have stated often, over thousands of years, there are only two things that have consistently worked, wheels, and walls!” Trump said on his social media platform, Truth Social. He added that he was awaiting an apology from Biden “for taking so long to get moving, and allowing our country to be flooded” with illegal immigrants.

But in condemning Biden, Lopez Obrador alluded to a backstory.

“It is contrary to what President Biden has said,” he said. “He has been the only president so far who has not built the wall.”

But then he added: “I understand that there are strong pressures.”

Also Thursday, Lopez Obrador hosted U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Mayorkas in Mexico City for a high-level discussion on security.

Washington is currently in turmoil over a stunning turn of political events. Before being  ousted earlier this week, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy appeared to tie the legislative body’s approval of Biden’s request for $24 billion in Ukraine funding to a request by Republicans for more border security.

“I support being able to make sure Ukraine has the weapons that they need,” McCarthy said before he was voted out. “But I firmly support the border first.”

The Biden administration was also quick to dispute reports that they are deviating from existing policy. In 2021, a Biden executive order described a border wall “a waste of money that diverts attention from genuine threats to our homeland security,” while declaring they would not allocate military funds for border-wall construction – only congressional funds.

“There is no new Administration policy with respect to border walls,” Mayorkas said in a statement Thursday. “From day one, this administration has made clear that a border wall is not the answer. That remains our position and our position has never wavered. The language in the Federal Register notice is being taken out of context and it does not signify any change in policy whatsoever.”

Texas-based advocates with Voces Unidas, which promotes immigrant rights, condemned the administration’s move. “We are confused and angered by the decision to further punish the most innocent, most vulnerable people in our communities, people who are already underserved and ignored across regional and state governments, with this increase in border walls.”
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Trump Fights for Real Estate Empire in Civil Fraud Trial

Donald Trump is fighting a $250 million civil fraud lawsuit that claims the former president provided false information regarding the value of his real estate empire. New York Attorney General Letitia James filed the lawsuit against Trump, his two adult sons and his company. Aron Ranen reports from New York City.
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What Are the Next Steps as US House Searches for New Speaker?

The U.S. House of Representatives for the first time in its history has booted its speaker out of the job, as infighting in the narrow and bitterly divided Republican majority toppled Kevin McCarthy from the position. 

Here is a look at what comes next: 

Is there an acting speaker? 

Immediately following Tuesday’s 216-210 ouster vote, Republican Representative Patrick McHenry, a McCarthy ally, was appointed acting speaker pro tempore. He can serve for only a very limited time — up to three legislative days in this case. 

The acting speaker pro tempore’s duties are vague, according to a guide to the chamber’s rules and procedures: That person “may exercise such authorities of the office of speaker as may be necessary and appropriate pending the election of a speaker or speaker pro tempore.” 

While the speaker sets the overall legislative agenda in the House, it is the House majority leader who schedules specific bills to debated and voted upon in the chamber.   

Republican Representative Kelly Armstrong told reporters that McHenry’s main task will be to “get us a new speaker.” Anything further, he said, would spark a move to oust McHenry.   

A freeze on legislating? 

Until a House speaker is installed, it is unlikely that further action will be taken on bills to fund the government, with lawmakers facing a November 17 deadline to provide more money or face a partial government shutdown. 

Battles over those bills and anger over McCarthy’s failure to win extremely deep spending cuts sought by hard-right conservatives sparked the successful move by Representative Matt Gaetz to unseat him. 

What are House Republicans, Democrats doing? 

The House’s 221 Republicans and 212 Democrats huddled privately to figure out their next steps — both political and legislative. 

Each party was expected to try to settle on a candidate for speaker. That’s fairly easy for Democrats as they are solidly behind Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who ran for speaker in January against McCarthy and other candidates. 

Republicans, because of their obvious divisions, especially among a small group of hard-line conservatives seeking very deep cuts in federal spending, could have a harder time settling on a candidate. 

McHenry could have an advantage now that he is acting speaker. It was unclear whether he wants the job. McCarthy is not barred from running again, although he said later Tuesday he would not seek it. 

The House finds itself in an unprecedented moment and so it was unclear exactly how quickly an election will be held in the full House. Normally, the elections for speaker are scheduled at the start of the new Congress every two years. 

When will the next speaker election be? 

The leaders of both parties will have to decide when they are ready to enter into the process of electing a speaker. 

The January endeavor was sloppy as McCarthy for days could not get enough votes to win and had to endure 15 ballots. 

It could be at least as chaotic this time around for Republicans, unless they conclude that such chaos is creating a public backlash that could doom their election prospects in 2024 and they unite. 

Who can run for speaker?  

Under the U.S. Constitution, the House speaker does not have to be a member of Congress. That is the reason some Republicans have floated the name of former President Donald Trump for the job, even though he is running for president and has said he does not want the job. 
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