Sen. Tom Udall denounces proposed plans to build 46 miles of border fencing in Columbus, NM

Sen. Tom Udall (D-NM) is denouncing plans to construct 46 miles of border fencing in New Mexico.

The Trump Administration plans to use $1 billion in military personnel funding and spend it on 57 miles of border wall, including 46 miles worth both east and west of Columbus, New Mexico, along with two separate projects in Arizona.

Udall’s office said the transfer would use a counter-drug account to fund wall construction without authorization and contrary to Congressional direction.

Udall sent the following statement regarding the plans to use military personnel money to fund President Trump’s wall in New Mexico:

” President Trump caused a 35-day shutdown seeking over $5 billion for his border wall, and after a very difficult debate, Congress gave him a very specific amount of funding – much less than what he requested, and none of which was intended for New Mexico. Now he is violating congressional directives to raid military personnel money that targets New Mexico’s border with 46 miles of new wall. The Department of Defense should be standing up for our military personnel and readiness needs, not allowing themselves to become a piggy bank for a President’s pet project.

” This funding raid flies in the face of Congress and I will pursue all legislative options to stop it. If the president stopped playing politics, both parties could find common ground to handle the humanitarian crisis of asylum seekers and protect our borders the right way–with well-trained people, new technology, and improvements at ports of entry where the vast majority of smuggling takes place, not an ineffective, wasteful and offensive border wall that will harm wildlife in this unique environment. ”