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US News

Democrats want Trump to stop building border wall during coronavirus

By
Mark Moore
Published April 16, 2020, 2:06 p.m. ET
Border wall construction in Donna, Texas
Border wall construction in Donna, Texas AP

Congressional Democrats called on the Trump administration to stop building the wall along the southern border while the country is battling the spread of the coronavirus.

“Money should be invested in healthcare, small businesses and fighting the spread of the coronavirus, not used to build an ineffective and wasteful border wall,” said a letter sent by the 91 Democratic lawmakers, Axios reported on Wednesday.

The letter, addressed to Attorney General William Barr, acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf and Defense Secretary Mark Esper, said the construction puts workers, law enforcement officers and “border residents” in danger of contracting COVID-19.

It also “defies” social distancing and stay-at-home guidelines announced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the letter said.

The report said that 900 employees of the Department of Homeland Security have been infected with the coronavirus.

The virus has also appeared in immigrant detention centers and caused hearings to be delayed.

Sixty-six House members and 25 senators signed the letter, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Sen. Kristen Gillibrand of New York.

Border wall construction south of Yuma, Arizona
Border wall construction south of Yuma, Arizona.Randy Hoeft/The Yuma Sun via AP

It was also signed by lawmakers who represent districts on the Mexican border – Reps. Henry Cueller of Texas, Veronica Escobar of Texas, Vincente Gonzalez of Texas and Ann Kirkpatrick of Arizona, as well as Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico.

“It’s insulting that in the middle of this emergency, instead of having the focus on making sure we got supplies, making sure that we’re beating all of this, they’re still going with this wall — this campaign promise from the president,” Cuellar told Axios.

The Trump administration has allocated $1.375 billion for wall construction in fiscal year 2020, the report said.

It has built 158 miles of border barrier since January 2017 – mostly by replacing outdated or run down sections with taller fencing.

President Trump has made securing the porous southern border a top national security priority amid the coronavirus threat.