President-elect Donald Trump is escalating his efforts against the current administration's border decisions.
In a significant legal step, Trump is trying to stop the sales of border wall materials, claiming it undermines potential future border policies, New York Post reported.
On Thursday, Trump, through his lawyer John Sauer, filed a request in the Southern District of Texas court to halt what he described as a "fire sale" of border wall materials by the Biden administration. He submitted the application to Judge Drew Tipton in response to allegations that the administration was selling these materials inexplicably cheap.
John Sauer pointed out during the filing that the sale practices might infringe upon the executive powers of the incoming president. "If the current Administration is selling off border-wall materials at rock-bottom prices, imposing financial losses on the United States in an attempt to defeat the pro-wall policy of President Trump, it is unlawfully encroaching on the incoming Administration’s exercise of the Executive Power," Sauer stated.
President-elect Trump, who recently addressed the media at Mar-a-Lago, argued that the administration is attempting to offload the materials at alarmingly low prices. Trump highlighted the increased costs of construction materials, which are currently about double what they were six years ago, and criticized the administration for the deep discounts applied in this sale.
John Sauer urged for an immediate suspension of the sales and called for a strict scrutiny of the government's actions:
The lawyer expressed, "The Court should order an immediate stop of all such sales and perform a searching examination of the Government’s conduct—by ordering formal discovery if necessary—to ensure compliance with the Constitution, the law, and the Court’s orders."
The controversy started after the Daily Wire reported and showed footage of border wall materials being transported away for auction. A Border Patrol agent, who remained anonymous, claimed that officials were secretly removing the materials from three stations and listing them for sale on GovPlanet, an online marketplace for federal equipment.
These revelations have led to increased scrutiny, with Trump's team questioning the transparency and legality of the Biden administration's actions just before the presidential transition.
Steven Cheung, a spokesman for Trump, underscored the legal and constitutional stakes involved. "Any attempt by Biden officials to obstruct President Trump’s plan to build the Border Wall is unlawful, unconstitutional, and possibly criminal, as our brief argues," Cheung said.
Cheung also added, "The Biden Administration has an egregious history of violating the law, especially in its catastrophic open-border policy, so the courts should review their actions here with particular skepticism. President Trump will not be deterred from Building the Wall, securing our border, and Making America Great Again."
In conclusion, as Trump prepares to take office, the issue of border wall materials becomes a contentious topic with significant political and legal implications. On one hand, Trump and his legal team push for judicial intervention to halt the current administration's actions, which they perceive as undermining future executive authority and border security policies. On the other hand, the Biden administration defends its actions, citing the need for efficient use of resources. Both sides present strong arguments, highlighting the complexity and stakes of the issue.
