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Trump's wall could be one step closer to reality thanks to a court ruling made on Tuesday. The decision gives the White House the go-ahead to bypass a bunch of rules and regulations designed to protect little things like the environment and public health so that they can build their US-Mexico border wall sooner.
The rest of this article is behind a paywall. Please sign in or subscribe to access the full content.The lawsuit Trump has now won was filed by the state of California and various environmental organizations, who argued the environmental waivers awarded by the Department of Homeland Security were improperly granted.
However, US District Judge Gonzalo Curiel wrote in his ruling that he had no “serious constitutional doubts” about the use of the waivers.
Though he did go on to add: “In its review of this case, the court cannot and does not consider whether underlying decisions to construct the border barriers are politically wise or prudent.”
The name Curiel might ring a bell. After all, he is the very same judge Trump called a "hater", accused of being biased, and blasted for his Mexican heritage back in 2016 when Trump University was being investigated – a fact Curiel subtly acknowledged even as he ruled in the president's favor. (Not that it should matter, but Curiel is American. He was born in Indiana to Mexican migrants.)
In response to the ruling, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra has said: “We will evaluate all of our options and are prepared to do what is necessary to protect our people, our values, and our economy from federal overreach.”
He added: “A medieval wall along the U.S.-Mexico border simply does not belong in the 21st century.”
Now that a decision has been made on this lawsuit originally filed last year, the government is able to begin construction on the wall in other border states. And they can do so without having to worry about restrictions normally imposed by laws such as the Endangered Species Act, the Antiquities Act, or the Clean Air Act – who cares about the Sonoran pronghorn (or any of the other 92 endangered species threatened by Trump's wall) anyway?
But all is not lost yet. The Center for Biological Diversity has already announced it will appeal the ruling.
"We intend to appeal this disappointing ruling, which would allow Trump to shrug off crucial environmental laws that protect people and wildlife," the group's senior attorney, Brian Segee, has said. "The Trump administration has completely overreached its authority in its rush to build this destructive, senseless wall."
Meanwhile, Trump celebrated the news (where else?) on Twitter.
And followed it up with another tweet containing a bizarre threat to the Golden State.
