Trump will also take executive action to redirect federal funds toward the expansion of the already massive wall and security apparatus along the U.S.-Mexico border. Over the last decade, the U.S. has already installed 700 miles of fencing and tens of thousands of motion sensors, as well as spy towers, radar systems, Predator surveillance drones and thousands of law enforcement agents along the U.S.-Mexico border. Trump’s order is expected to add 5,000 workers to the Customs and Border Protection agency, which is already the largest federal law enforcement agency with a force of more than 60,000 agents. Trump has named Julie Kirchner, the former head of the extreme anti-immigrant organization Federation for American Immigration Reform, to be the new chief of staff at Customs and Border Protection. During the 2016 campaign, Trump repeatedly vowed Mexico would pay for the border wall—a pledge rejected by Mexico’s leaders. Instead, it appears that Trump is planning to redirect Department of Homeland Security aid currently going to Mexico in order to pay for the expanded border wall. Another executive order Trump is expected to sign today will seek to eliminate “sanctuary cities” and triple funding for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, known as ICE.
Trump to Sign Executive Order to Expand Border Wall, Eliminate Sanctuary Cities
HeadlineJan 25, 2017