US administration asks court to resume wall construction in Texas — The Hill
The US administration has asked the Supreme Court to suspend a ruling that blocked the resumption of construction of border barriers and other infrastructure in the Big Bend area of Texas. As The Hill reports, the work is planned near the Mexican border along a bend in the Rio Grande.
Administration's position
US Solicitor General D. John Sauer called the lower court's decision to block the project “unfounded.” According to him, it prevents the government from ensuring security along approximately one-quarter of the US southern border.
In his appeal to the Supreme Court, Sauer said that judicial interference in the powers of Congress and the secretary is grounds for suspending the ruling. He also asks the justices not only to grant temporary permission for the work, but also to overturn the district judge's ruling on the merits without additional written explanations or oral arguments.
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District court ruling
Earlier this month, US District Judge Kathleen Cardone blocked the project following a lawsuit filed by an environmental group, a recreational guide and the Center for Biological Diversity. The judge concluded that the scale of the planned work requires clear authorization from Congress.
The administration cites a federal immigration law that permits the construction of border facilities to deter illegal crossings in areas with high levels of such incidents. At the same time, Cardone noted that if the Big Bend sector is considered such an area, this definition could extend to the entire US-Mexico border.
Earlier this year, then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem waived environmental regulations to speed up the construction of barriers and roads in the Big Bend sector. The administration said it would not build a large border wall within Big Bend National Park, but plans other work on its territory and the construction of a wall in other parts of the region.
