The U.S. Army will be the primary contractor building the southern border wall, the White House announced on Monday.
“If the president declares a national emergency, the Army Corps of Engineers will kick into high gear,” said a White House official. “They’re already handing out contracts, and that would speed up a lot.”
The White House Office of Management and Budget sent a letter to Democratic House committee chairs on Sunday, informing them that the Customs and Border Protection agency is coordinating with the army to fulfill President Trump’s goal of securing the border with a steel wall.
“In concert with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, CBP has increased its capacity to execute these funds,” said a letter from the White House budget office to Democratic House committee chairs.
“The Administration’s full request would fund construction of a total of approximately 234 miles of new physical barrier and fully fund the top 10 priorities in CBP’s Border Security Improvement Plan.”
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