Current Events > Biden Admin waives federal laws to allow for border wall construction

(+) Yeah! (+)

When Republicans do it, it's because they're racist.
When Democrats do it, it's to appease Republicans.

Ya see, kids? Political gymnastics is fun!

It's nice to know that the 2024 opposition to fascism is Neville Chamberlain. We need a strong leader whose strategy is to give the bad guys everything they want.

I still have the same complaints about the border wall as I had before.

• The US-Mexico border is about 2000 miles long. Building a wall across the entire border is extremely expensive and extremely impractical.
• It has already been shown that it isn't very difficult to climb over the wall, despite Trump's claims of it having "anti-climb technology."
• It has also been shown that cheap tools enable people to cut through the wall.
• Multiple parts of the wall have fallen down due to high winds.
• Multiple sections of the wall are required to be opened for long periods of time to prevent flood waters from knocking them down.
• Multiple sections of the wall are planned to go through private land.
• The planned path for the wall puts some US citizens on the southern side of it.
• Building it will destroy wildlife migration patterns and historically significant land.

FortuneCookie posted...

When Republicans do it, it's because they're racist.

It begins and ends with fear mongering with them. 90% of the fentanyl is coming through legal ports of entry. People can saw through a border wall or just climb over it. But "build that wall" sounds so good to them. Let them have it so they can continue complaining. Just like roe, let them have it.

Unknown5uspect posted...

Yo lemme get the data on that.

I don't have any data on overstay, but the BBC is reporting the same numbers as that poster:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-67015137

More than 245,000 crossings have been made this year in the Rio Grande Valley area alone, government data shows, and September is expected to be a record month.

US Border Patrol apprehended 181,059 people along the southern border in August compared with 132,648 in July, according to the latest data.

Mexico's president, Andrs Manuel Lpez Obrador, said that 10,000 people arrived at the border every day last week alone.

My favorite part about topics shitting on democrats for doing republican things is right wingers coming in trying to gotcha about how people are fine with it now, completely ignoring everyone saying it is dog shit.

PS. just because Biden did it, it's still dog shit.

streamofthesky posted...

just don't get it, in 2020 Biden was one of the only Democrats to NOT support open borders, but then apparently went left on it once in office?

How did Biden go left on immigration?

Heineken14 posted...

PS. just because Biden did it, it's still dog s***

Agreed, but no longer a talking point republicans can own and we know it wasn't for nothing either.

Nok_Su_Kow posted...

Agreed, but no longer a talking point republicans can own and we know it wasn't for nothing either.

Oh they still will. They are the same ****s that called Obama the deporter in chief while also saying he was for open borders and letting illegals in. They will do the same here.

Heineken14 posted...

Oh they still will. They are the same ****s that called Obama the deporter in chief while also saying he was for open borders and letting illegals in. They will do the same here.

Yeah, there's really no appeasing them. They'll proudly contradict themselves just to continue to complain about whoever or whatever they don't like.

Nok_Su_Kow posted...

It begins and ends with fear mongering with them. 90% of the fentanyl is coming through legal ports of entry. People can saw through a border wall or just climb over it. But "build that wall" sounds so good to them. Let them have it so they can continue complaining. Just like roe, let them have it.

Even if it's functionally flawed, it's alarming that they would do it at all. Either they are actively bigoted and xenophobic as well or they're willing to kowtow to those who are.

And what does Biden get out of it? The Republicans will still hate him. Biden could say everything that Trump said, and stand by all of the same policies, and Republicans would hate him like he was their own personal devil because he's a Democrat. He's the enemy. Look at all of the shit that's made up about pedophilia and blood-drinking cults. They don't need a legit reason to hate him. They can make one up if need be. Or they can admit that they hate him because he's blue.

This is very bad. He could lose votes over this. Are we going to explain to legal voters who have undocumented family members that we did it all to shut Trump up? Good luck with that. Republicans are gonna claim that Biden was a hypocrite and that Trump was right all along. And they'll only be wrong about the latter part of that claim.

This is like a general shooting his big toe off just before going to war. Unless the movers and shakers of the Republican party say, "Fuck Trump, we won't have him," I'm legitimately worried at this point. And even if Trump is barred from running, we still have DeSantis who is an even bigger bigot.

Right but build the wall was a cornerstone of republican campaigns. When immigration doesn't slow, and fentanyl is still coming through legal ports of entry, they can't bring it up, they'll have to find some other scapegoat.

Nok_Su_Kow posted...

Right but build the wall was a cornerstone of republican campaigns. When immigration doesn't slow, and fentanyl is still coming through legal ports of entry, they can't bring it up, they'll have to find some other scapegoat.

I mean... They can bring it up just because they can say whatever they want even if it's a lie. They likely will do so.

They went on and on about the birther conspiracy that claimed Barack Obama wasn't born in the US. After Barack Obama showed us his birth certificate, they just started saying he showed a fake birth certificate.

FortuneCookie posted...

Even if it's functionally flawed, it's alarming that they would do it at all. Either they are actively bigoted and xenophobic as well or they're willing to kowtow to those who are.

And what does Biden get out of it? The Republicans will still hate him. Biden could say everything that Trump said, and stand by all of the same policies, and Republicans would hate him like he was their own personal devil because he's a Democrat. He's the enemy. Look at all of the shit that's made up about pedophilia and blood-drinking cults. They don't need a legit reason to hate him. They can make one up if need be. Or they can admit that they hate him because he's blue.

This is very bad. He could lose votes over this. Are we going to explain to legal voters who have undocumented family members that we did it all to shut Trump up? Good luck with that. Republicans are gonna claim that Biden was a hypocrite and that Trump was right all along. And they'll only be wrong about the latter part of that claim.

This is like a general shooting his big toe off just before going to war. Unless the movers and shakers of the Republican party say, "Fuck Trump, we won't have him," I'm legitimately worried at this point. And even if Trump is barred from running, we still have DeSantis who is an even bigger bigot.

If the other outcome is no funding for Ukraine, I'm not so sure that's a good look either.

CableZL posted...

I mean... They can bring it up just because they can say whatever they want even if it's a lie. They likely will do so.

Hell, they can do it in the same sentence without blinking. I can already see the Youtube shorts/tiktoks/whatever of the MAGA rally interviews with some dumb fuck who says Biden is for open borders but then turn around and do the "I guess it's not racist when a democrat builds a wall!"

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]

The issue was building a wall to Trump's ridiculous specifications. Building or replacing barriers where it makes sense is not unreasonable.

Nok_Su_Kow posted...

If the other outcome is no funding for Ukraine, I'm not so sure that's a good look either.

I believe the Republican variant of the old phrase goes something like, "You scratch my back and I'll stab yours."

If Republicans win 2024, they'll cut any and all funding to Ukraine anyway. And we will have built them their wall.

FortuneCookie posted...

I believe the Republican variant of the old phrase goes something like, "You scratch my back and I'll stab yours."

If Republicans win 2024, they'll cut any and all funding to Ukraine anyway. And we will have built them their wall.

I guess thats a hit Biden is willing to take. Without funding there might not be a Ukraine in 2024. But republicans could then still chant "build the wall" and democrats can feel good about not giving into them.

Nok_Su_Kow posted...

I guess thats a hit Biden is willing to take. Without funding there might not be a Ukraine in 2024. But republicans could then still chant "build the wall" and democrats can feel good about not giving into them.

Are Republicans locked into funding Ukraine by this? Is the bill that builds the wall the same one that provides funding for Ukraine? If we're giving Republicans their wall on the promise that they will fund Ukraine in the future, we've as much as built that wall for nothing.

FortuneCookie posted...

Are Republicans locked into funding Ukraine by this? Is the bill that builds the wall the same one that provides funding for Ukraine? If we're giving Republicans their wall on the promise that they will fund Ukraine in the future, we've as much as built that wall for nothing.

I don't think so. Ukraine funding has been pretty popular among both Republicans and Democrats in both the House and the Senate. I could be wrong, though. Something could have changed in the Republican caucus.

Expected redhats stumbling over each other to rush in here going "LOOOL U LOVE BORDER WALLS NOW RITE???", got redhats stumbling over each other to rush in here going "LOOOL U LOVE BORDER WALLS NOW RITE???"

FortuneCookie posted...

Are Republicans locked into funding Ukraine by this? Is the bill that builds the wall the same one that provides funding for Ukraine? If we're giving Republicans their wall on the promise that they will fund Ukraine in the future, we've as much as built that wall for nothing.

As far as I can tell, there's no relationship between Ukraine funding and this. That's just people making blind speculation. From the BBC article I listed above, this is using 2019 funding that's already been allocated for this:

In a statement to Associated News on Wednesday night, the US Customs and Border Protection defended the latest move, saying it was using funds already allocated for a border barrier.

"Congress appropriated fiscal year 2019 funds for the construction of border barrier in the Rio Grande Valley, and DHS is required to use those funds for their appropriated purpose," the statement said.

My speculation is that we just fucked up.

<_<

And when the first gust of wind blows it over.

Republicans: "HAHAHAHAHA WHAT A JOKE, THE WIND BLEW THE WALL DOWN!!! SLEEPY JOE AT IT AGAIN!!!!"

*show video footage of Trumps wall blowing over*

Republicans: "Typical liberals, gotta make shit up to make Trump look bad. Trumps wall never fell over, it was sabotaged by you liberals to distract from Hunter's laptop and Hillary's emails!!!!"

Cut a liberal, and a fascist bleeds.

s0nicfan posted...

As far as I can tell, there's no relationship between Ukraine funding and this. That's just people making blind speculation. From the BBC article I listed above, this is using 2019 funding that's already been allocated for this:

Yeah, the funding was already in place.

I think the issue is more the fact that this new construction is at the expense of many environmental can conservation acts getting completely ignored, which isn't a good look from the "Green New Deal" party.

From the AP article:

The Clean Air Act, Safe Drinking Water Act and Endangered Species Act were some of the federal laws waived by DHS to make way for construction that will use funds from a congressional appropriation in 2019 for border wall construction. The waivers avoid time-consuming reviews and lawsuits challenging violation of environmental laws.

Or how this looks like a total of admission of defeat about their border policy and an explicit vindication of perhaps Trump's most famous campaign policy

@ everyone - apologies, I was under the assumption that funding was still held up at the expense of securing the border. Once again I am duped by republican talking points.

Doe posted...

Or how this looks like a total of admission of defeat about their border policy and an explicit vindication of perhaps Trump's most famous campaign policy

Theyre talking about a 20 mile or less section in a specific area here, not even remotely vindication about a plan to wall off the entire border.

I didn't know liberals' only issue with the border wall was its potential cost effectiveness. As long as you only build wall in the places people are actually trying to migrate over, it's all good.

lmao

Doe posted...

I didn't know liberals' only issue with the border wall was its potential cost effectiveness. As long as you only build wall in the places people are actually trying to migrate over, it's all good.

lmao

That's a very nice Strawman you built there

rynobot posted...

That's a very nice Strawman you built there

I welcome you to steelman Biden flexing executive power to speedrun building a section of the border wall in the place with the highest migration traffic.

I guess it was funds for DHS allocated by republicans in 2019. They asked congress to reappropriate the funds. Biden administration doesn't feel it's effective, however their hands are tied and they are complying by the law. From the press secretary just now.

And it's been known for six months.

Nok_Su_Kow posted...

I guess it was funds for DHS allocated by republicans in 2019. They asked congress to reappropriate the funds. Biden administration doesn't feel it's effective, however their hands are tied and they are complying by the law. From the press secretary just now.

And it's been known for six months.

That makes sense. I'd still rather the funds just go to something that would be more effective, but oh well.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/3/0/5/AAR6WtAAEpcB.jpg

"You form a line, to formalize, the former lies"

Doe posted...

I welcome you to steelman Biden flexing executive power to speedrun building a section of the border wall in the place with the highest migration traffic.

Why would I do that?

Ugh, it seems like he caved to Republican bitching about the border and he wants to seem like he's doing more to take it seriously per their standards.

When will Biden understand nothing will stop Republican bitching about the border? It's their bread and butter for fearmongering bigots to the polls.

He should have taken that money and reallocated it to some other sort of border project. Now Dem voters who have been against the wall this entire time will point to this as a reason to not vote.

Kradek posted...

Ugh, it seems like he caved to Republican bitching about the border and he wants to seem like he's doing more to take it seriously per their standards.

When will Biden understand nothing will stop Republican bitching about the border? It's their bread and butter for fearmongering bigots to the polls.

He should have taken that money and reallocated it to some other sort of border project. Now Dem voters who have been against the wall this entire time will point to this as a reason to not vote.

No they won't. A fucking obnoxious waste of money that doesn't do anything is not a reason to risk turning the country into a fascist shit hole.

https://x.com/collinrugg/status/1709920998009803038?s=46&t=zide-xMmO1Jfbehl1xCCdw

But Biden vowed there wouldnt be another foot wall built under his administration?!

Tyranthraxus posted...

No they won't. A fucking obnoxious waste of money that doesn't do anything is not a reason to risk turning the country into a fascist shit hole.

Dem voters actually have quite a history of using things that don't ultimately matter in the big picture, yet offend them personally for (usually not) happening, as justification for not voting in the next election. Things like this, a Dem POTUS betraying their word or principles, are often what I hear people citing as the reason they didn't vote or voted against a certain candidate.

I agree that it's not important in the grand scheme of things, however the Dem Party has been fairly against the Wall because it's a symbol of Trump, and that can matter to voters.

Having said that, the country is in a rather precarious spot and with the last 3 elections it does seem like society at large is taking the threat more seriously.

My concerns have validity from precedence, however I also do have hope and wish to be proven wrong in 2024.

DemonBuffet posted...

https://x.com/collinrugg/status/1709920998009803038?s=46&t=zide-xMmO1Jfbehl1xCCdw

But Biden vowed there wouldnt be another foot wall built under his administration?!

Biden also promised that he would cure cancer, so I don't know why people are acting like campaign trail promises are anything to base a vote on.

By the way, that wasn't hyperbolic above. He literally said it:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2019/06/12/joe-biden-says-hell-cure-cancer-campaign-stop-ottumwa-iowa/1429287001/

Speaking at a campaign stop in Ottumwa, Iowa, on Tuesday he discussed losing loved ones before making his promise.

"A lot of you understand what loss is and when loss occurs, you know that people come up to you and tell you 'I understand' if you lose a husband, a wife, a son, a daughter, a family member," he said. "That's why I've worked so hard in my career to make sure that I promise you if I'm elected president, you're going to see the single most important thing that changes America, we're gonna cure cancer."

Cities along the border have been declaring public emergencies. It is actually a problem.

DemonBuffet posted...

https://x.com/collinrugg/status/1709920998009803038?s=46&t=zide-xMmO1Jfbehl1xCCdw

But Biden vowed there wouldnt be another foot wall built under his administration?!

He was expecting those funds to be reappropriated. And they were not.

chaos_knight posted...

Cities along the border have been declaring public emergencies. It is actually a problem.

Definitely. But more fencing doesn't fix the underlying problems, it's just rather a weak bandaid for it.

Nok_Su_Kow posted...

It begins and ends with fear mongering with them. 90% of the fentanyl is coming through legal ports of entry.

These are the kind of facts you get when you only read headlines. It's such a bad argument.

90% isn't coming through legal ports of entry... 90% of SEIZED fentanyl is seized at ports of entry. The other 10% is seized elsewhere. This 100% is only what they catch. They have no idea where the drugs came in from that they haven't seized. They don't know how much is in the US, because they haven't found it yet.

The 70k that died in 2022 from fentanyl didn't have some magic DNA marker that says "This drug was brought to you from the Bridge of the Americas Port of Entry".

If anything this a bigger argument that the only entries should be through ports of entry. Security checks work.

Nok_Su_Kow posted...

Definitely. But more fencing doesn't fix the underlying problems, it's just rather a weak bandaid for it.

And that's really the issue.

No one wants to get down to the real root cause of all of this. The fact that we are not even coming close to the monetary investment we need to solve the immigration issue.

It shouldn't take a decade-plus and thousands of dollars in lawyer fees for someone to legally become a US citizen.

Ideally, we'd do a Marshall Plan for Latin America so that immigrants would want to stay in their home countries. Never going to happen though.

Freak_Show posted...

These are the kind of facts you get when you only read headlines. It's such a bad argument.

90% isn't coming through legal ports of entry... 90% of SEIZED fentanyl is seized at ports of entry. The other 10% is seized elsewhere. This 100% is only what they catch. They have no idea where the drugs came in from that they haven't seized. They don't know how much is in the US, because they haven't found it yet.

The 70k that died in 2022 from fentanyl didn't have some magic DNA marker that says "This drug was brought to you from the Bridge of the Americas Port of Entry".

If anything this a bigger argument that the only entries should be through ports of entry. Security checks work.

So for the fentanyl that is seized a majority typically comes through legal ports of entry. So some of it must be getting through these heavily trafficked areas. That still is important to know when Republicans say that open borders and illegal immigrants are bringing the fentanyl when we know the majority of immigrants just are not doing that.