George P. Bush, the Texas land commissioner, has filed a federal lawsuit against the Biden Administration over the president's decision to stop construction of the border wall. Bush says President Joe Biden is acting outside his authority by blocking a project already funded by Congress.
"This is wrong. It's illegal, and it's unconstitutional," Bush says. "Congress appropriated $5 billion for the construction of nearly 750 miles of border wall on our southern border, including here in Texas."
President Biden issued an executive order the day he was inaugurated stopping construction of the wall.
"Like every nation, the United States has a right and a duty to secure its borders and protect its people against threats," he wrote. "But building a massive wall that spans the entire southern border is not a serious policy solution. It is a waste of money that diverts attention from genuine threats to our homeland security."
Bush filed the complaint in the U.S. District Court in McAllen, asking a judge to rule the president's order illegal and stop Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas from diverting funds earmarked for construction of the wall.
"The president needs to follow the law and expend the rest of those dollars that were appropriated to finish the wall," Bush says.
Bush says the increase in people crossing the border illegally has also hurt land value which, in turn, has led to less revenue. He says 3,100 acres of land along the border is owned by the state but leased to a farmer.
"Unfortunately, because of the skyrocketing amount of illegal immigration, which includes human trafficking and drug smugglers who have placed pressure on Mr. Wilkins' business, we have seen detrimental value to the leasing of this land," Bush says.
Neither the Biden Administration nor Department of Homeland Security had responded to the lawsuit Thursday morning.
Last month, Bush announced he will run for Texas Attorney General, challenging current Attorney General Ken Paxton in next year's Republican primary.
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