The Pentagon confirmed that it is preparing to build barriers along the southern border should the President declare a national emergency.
“The Department of Defense is reviewing available authorities and funding mechanisms to identify options to enable border barrier construction,” said Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt. Bill Speaks. “As there has not been such a declaration made, it would be inappropriate to comment further on those efforts.”
President Trump has repeatedly said he is willing to declare a national emergency to build the border wall if Democrats are unable to reach a deal to fund the government and border wall.
“We have the absolute right to declare a national emergency,” he said yesterday. “This is security stuff. This is a national emergency if you look at whats happening…and you just heard the statement they came in last week or this week from Pakistan…[border patrol] got them.”
The statement the President was referring to was made by Acting Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz who informed him yesterday that his border patrol sector had apprehended two individuals from Pakistan on Wednesday.
Ortiz said that while they apprehended 450 individuals on Wednesday, 133 of those apprehensions were people from countries other than Central America and Mexico.
“That includes individuals from India, Pakistan, China, Romania, Ecuador, Nicaragua and on and on,” he said.
