Trump files amicus brief to ‘immediately’ stop Biden sale of border wall, says conduct is ‘possibly criminal’
President-elect Donald Trump has filed an amicus brief in support of a legal effort by Texas and Missouri to halt the Biden administration’s sale of border wall materials, calling the action “possibly criminal.” The brief, filed late Thursday, urges a district court in the southern district of Texas to hold a status conference to determine if the government is in breach of a permanent injunction issued earlier this year. This injunction prohibited the administration from using funds allocated for wall construction for any other purpose.
According to Trump’s amicus brief, the court should issue an order to immediately stop the sale of border wall materials to private parties pending a review of the government’s conduct. The filing raises concerns that the reported conduct of selling off border wall materials at a financial loss to obstruct the pro-wall policy of Congress and the Trump administration may constitute criminal behavior, such as conspiracy to defraud the United States.
The Biden administration has been auctioning off border wall parts since at least 2023, with parts listed for sale on auction marketplaces. Border officials have confirmed that auctions occur weekly, with a recent push to clear out materials before Christmas. Trump’s amicus brief argues that if the administration is deliberately selling border wall materials to obstruct the construction of the wall, it raises troubling concerns of potentially criminal behavior.
Despite the administration’s claims that they are disposing of excess wall materials in accordance with the National Defense Authorization Act, Republicans remain outraged. Senator Bill Hagerty introduced legislation to halt the auctions, and Trump has been working with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to acquire the materials. Texas has expressed intentions to help the incoming administration build the wall at the southern border.
In response to the auctions, Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham has offered to store any wall panels acquired by the incoming administration on state land. She is committed to securing the southern border and protecting Texans from criminal illegal immigrants. The ongoing legal battle over the sale of border wall materials highlights the continued divide over immigration policy between the outgoing and incoming administrations.
