Arizona to pay $2.1M to Biden administration for makeshift border wall.
Arizona Settles Lawsuit Over Makeshift Border Wall
Arizona has reached a settlement with the Biden administration, agreeing to pay $2.1 million to resolve a lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice. The lawsuit was related to a makeshift wall made of shipping containers at the Arizona-Mexico border.
The bill of $2.1 million was presented to the state by the U.S. Forest Service on Aug. 22, according to Judy Kioski, a spokeswoman for Arizona’s Division of Emergency Management. The funds will be used by the Forest Service to address the damage caused by the containers to federal and tribal territories.
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The case will be dismissed once Arizona pays the bill, pending a final judicial order. However, if not dismissed earlier, the lawsuit will continue until Sept. 26, with a joint progress report required from both parties.
Under former Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, storage containers were used to fill gaps in the wall built by the Trump administration, aiming to reduce illegal border crossings.
Makeshift Border Erected to Combat Illegal Immigration
In late 2022, Gov. Ducey ordered the construction of the makeshift wall to address the crisis of illegal immigration. The wall consisted of over 120 shipping containers, covering more than 3,820 feet of gaps in the border wall in Yuma County. Another barrier was also erected in Cochise County.
Despite being warned by federal officials that they were violating federal law, Arizona ignored the warning and continued with the project. In response, Gov. Ducey sued the federal government, asserting the state’s right to defend itself.
Barrier Dismantled
By Dec. 21, 2022, Gov. Ducey’s administration agreed to dismantle the shipping container border barrier. This decision was made as part of an agreement with the Biden administration, which committed to building a permanent border barrier near Yuma.
All the shipping containers have been removed from federal land, and efforts have been made to address the environmental damage caused by the project.
Shipping Containers for Sale
The construction and dismantling of the makeshift wall cost the state approximately $95 million. The containers used in the project are now being sold, with over 2,000 available for purchase by government and nonprofit organizations.
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