On Friday the Supreme Court of the United States gave the green light to President Trump to begin building the wall working with “four contracts it has awarded using Defense Department money.” Until now, the contracts had been frozen by lower courts. Judge Haywood S. Gilliam Jr.in Oakland, California ruled in favor of activists who maintained using $2.5 billion in military funding to build part of the wall in California, Arizona and New Mexico was unlawful and would pose environmental threats and the money was frozen during litigation.
The initial lawsuit was brought by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of the Sierra Club and Southern Border Communities Coalition. When the federal judge in California ruled in favor of the ACLU and the coalition, the Trump administration immediately appealed the decision and won in the highest court. SCOTUS’ five conservative judges ruled to lift the freeze which will allow him to continue with one of his top campaign promises of building a wall. The $2.5 billion dollars of Defense Department Funds “will be used to construct more than 100 miles of fencing” including 46 miles of barrier in New Mexico, the replacement of 63 miles of wall in New Mexico and 63 miles in Arizona.
As expected, Trump tweeted his reaction:
Wow! Big VICTORY on the Wall. The United States Supreme Court overturns lower court injunction, allows Southern Border Wall to proceed. Big WIN for Border Security and the Rule of Law!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 26, 2019
