In a significant legal development, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has proclaimed a hard-fought win over the Biden Administration regarding the border wall construction halt. According to an announcement from Paxton's office, the administration will not appeal a federal court's permanent injunction, thereby ceding to continue the project initiated under former President Donald Trump.
The contentious issue centers around approximately $1.4 billion in funds allocated by Congress during the 2019 and 2020 sessions, earmarked specifically for the construction of barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border. Upon his ascendance to office, President Biden took swift action to halt the building progress and reroute the funds, which have now, as per the court's standing order, been re-committed to their original purpose. This legal standoff reached its zenith when Texas, via Paxton's leadership, contested Biden's maneuver in court under the Administrative Procedure Act—an act, which the Biden Administration, to date, has chosen not to appeal.
Paxton has not been remiss in vocalizing his triumph, stating "This is a final victory against Biden's attempt to defund the border wall. His Administration illegally sought to prevent the construction of the border wall and illegally attempted to repurpose the money allocated for American safety and sovereignty, working instead to keep the border open," Paxton asserted. "I sued and won to stop their unlawful scheme. Now, the Administration has thrown in the towel by declining to appeal their defeat and will be legally required to build the wall."
The Biden Administration's stance has shifted palpably since the inception of the legal battle. Initially challenging what they viewed as an overextension of the previous administration's stringent immigration policies, the administration has not publicly responded to the latest developments. The sixty-day appeal window, which closed on July 29, solidifies Paxton's claims and the court's injunction. The court had previously ruled that Biden's actions contravened the Consolidated Appropriations Act, and with the passing of the appeal deadline — the injunction remains in place and unchallenged.
