President-elect Donald Trump called a federal judge’s ruling that blocked the Biden administration from disposing of any southern border wall materials during the remainder of Biden’s presidency a “crucial win” for the nation and national security in a social media post on Saturday.
Newsweek reached out to Trump’s communications team and the White House for comment via email on Saturday.
Why It Matters
Immigration and border security are key issues for Texas, a state that shares a border with Mexico. Republican Governor Greg Abbott and Republican Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn have frequently clashed with the Biden administration over border policy.
Last year, Texas deployed large buoy barriers in the Rio Grande River to address a surge in undocumented migrants crossing into the U.S. from Mexico, prompting the Biden administration to sue Abbott. In July, a federal appeals court ruled the floating barriers could remain in place, but legal battles continue. The Biden administration has argued that Texas’ use of buoys violates federal law, while Abbott continues to deploy more barriers.
Meanwhile, Trump campaigned this election cycle on a crackdown on immigration and stricter border policy, including continuation of the physical wall on the U.S. southern border with Mexico. He has pledged to reshape the nation’s immigration laws and processes as soon as he takes office in less than a month.
What To Know
A federal judge on Friday ruled in favor of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a staunch Trump ally, who filed a motion for a permanent injunction to block the Biden administration from disposing pieces or materials related to the U.S.-Mexico border wall ahead of Trump’s second term. Paxton and Trump worked together on the case, according to an X, formerly Twitter, post from Paxton on Friday.
The Biden administration confirmed it will uphold the order, a press release from Paxton’s office noted.
In May, U.S. District Judge Drew Tipton ruled in favor of Paxton finding that the Biden administration violated federal law by attempting to redirect funds statutorily obligated for border wall construction. The administration was directed to continue the construction with the appropriated funds.
In the same case, Paxton filed a new motion on December 17 after reports and photos emerged alleging the Biden administration was selling materials intended for border wall construction. The filing specifically cites “videos obtained by The Daily Wire [that] show flatbed trucks hauling massive, unused border wall panels—each weighing over 16,000 pounds—away from construction sites in Arizona to government auction yards,” according to court documents reviewed by Newsweek.
The Biden administration previously sold border wall materials in 2023. Since taking office, Biden has worked to minimize construction on the wall. The money for the wall had been appropriated in 2019 before he took office and though he attempted to get the funding redirected, Congress had refused.
Paxton’s press release also noted that “the court stated that Texas is entitled to documentation proving that the Biden Administration has not violated an injunction” from May.
“If it is shown that the Biden Administration disposed of border wall materials purchased with funds subject to that injunction in violation of a court order—or that the Department of Justice made misrepresentations regarding the border materials that have been auctioned off—this would constitute unethical and sanctionable conduct, and the responsible parties could be held in contempt of court,” the attorney general added.
In his Saturday post on Truth Social, Trump called the court order “a major, crucial WIN for America, and our National Security.” He also pledged to rebuild the wall “in order to protect our Country from violent migrant crime, fentanyl smuggling, sex trafficking, terror attacks, and other heinous, Nation ending disasters.”
The president-elect added that the court’s order “will expose just how corrupt and anti-American Radical Democrats are.”
He concluded his post: “We have to protect our Borders, and Save America. MAGA!”
Construction crews install panels of the border wall on November 26 in La Casita-Garciasville, Texas. President-elect Donald Trump called a federal judge’s ruling that blocked the Biden administration from disposing of any southern border wall materials during the remainder of Biden’s presidency a “crucial win” for the nation and national security in a social media post on Saturday.
Michael Gonzalez/Getty Images
What People Are Saying
Nick Sortor, conservative commentator and internet personality, wrote on X on Friday night: “HUGE win! Biden attempted to blatantly subvert the will of the American people by racing to auction off border wall materials for just pennies on the dollar, which would force Trump to buy them back at EXPONENTIALLY higher markups.”
Gunther Eagleman, a political commentator and MAGA supporter, praised Paxton in an X reply on Friday: “Ken Paxton is one of the best AG’s in the country.”
What Happens Next
Trump is expected to implement changes to the nation’s immigration policies and border security measures once he takes office on January 20.
On Saturday, he voiced support for H-1B visas for specialized foreign workers, amid Republican infighting over the issue earlier in the week.
“I’ve always liked the visas, I have always been in favor of the visas. That’s why we have them,” Trump told the New York Post in a phone interview on Saturday. “I have many H-1B visas on my properties. I’ve been a believer in H-1B. I have used it many times. It’s a great program,” he said.