The President of the United States Donald Trump welcomed Thursday, January 9, a court decision authorizing him to draw $ 3.6 billion (3.2 billion euros) from the Pentagon budget for the construction of the wall on the border with Mexico.
This promise, made by the republican billionaire during the 2016 presidential campaign, has struggled since then to come to fruition.
In December, a federal court had blocked the use of these funds, intended to erect about 800 kilometers of barrier at the southern border of the country.
Urgently seized by the Trump administration, a court of appeal based in New Orleans (Louisiana, south) suspended this judgment Wednesday evening pending a review of the merits. Although temporary, this decision allows the executive to start using the funds.
"Ready to go!" "
"The United States Supreme Court recently blocked a similar decision by another court", justified the court of appeal, in reference to a judgment taken in July by the highest court in the country, which had already authorized the use of 2.5 billion dollars (2.2 billion euros) of funds soldiers to erect other sections of the wall.
Justice "Gave us the green light to start one of the most important sections of the much needed wall at the southern border", said Donald Trump in a tweet. "The whole wall is under construction or ready to start!" ", said the former real estate tycoon, who hopes to get a second term in November 2020.
Breaking News: The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals just reversed a lower court decision & gave us the go ahead to bu… https://t.co/Prx1iU8L0R
"It is a victory for the rule of law"added the White House in a statement. “We are determined to secure our borders and we will finish the wall. "
Arm wrestling with Democrats
Trump has made the fight against illegal immigration one of the hallmarks of his presidency, but his promise to erect a wall on the 3,200 kilometers of the border with Mexico has been the subject of many battles in Congress and in court, slowing down its realization.
The Democratic opposition had refused to vote on its funding and this showdown had caused the partial closure of the federal administration for 35 days a record time a year ago.
To circumvent the refusal of Congress to release the funds, the president had invoked in February 2019 "National emergency" in order to draw $ 6.7 billion from the military budget. It is this decision which has been the subject of cascading appeals, the outcome of which is not yet final.
