美国联邦法官Reggie B. Walton周日裁定，美国国土安全部可以继续在德克萨斯州普雷西迪奥镇的防洪堤系统中推进边境墙施工计划[1]。法官驳回了该镇发展区寻求的诉前禁令申请[1]。普雷西迪奥镇人口约3200人，担心施工可能引发洪水灾害，但未能阻止这一项目的进行[1]。
这一边境墙项目规模为46亿美元，计划从太平洋延伸到墨西哥湾[1]。该镇防洪堤系统建于1970年代和1980年代[1]。在裁决中，法官写道"国会显然不打算限制国土安全部长的豁免权"[1]。国土安全部官员表示结构第一层将在明年完成[1]。普雷西迪奥镇发展区曾要求美陆军工程兵团提供许可详情，但被告知相关信息因"国家安全"理由无法共享[1]。
Federal Judge Reggie B. Walton ruled on Sunday that the Department of Homeland Security may proceed with constructing a border wall through Presidio, Texas's flood control levee system.[1] The judge rejected a request for a preliminary injunction filed by the Presidio Development District, a local governing body representing the town's approximately 3,200 residents.[1]
The town had expressed concerns that construction could compromise the integrity of the levee system, built during the 1970s and 1980s, and potentially expose the community to flooding hazards.[1] However, the court sided with the federal government's authority to move forward with the project. In his ruling, Judge Walton wrote that "Congress plainly did not intend to limit the Secretary of Homeland Security's waiver authority."[1] The development district had sought details about the project from the Army Corps of Engineers but was denied access to information cited as necessary for national security reasons.[1]
The border wall project, valued at approximately 4.6 billion dollars, is designed to extend from the Pacific Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico.[1] According to Department of Homeland Security officials, the first phase of the structure in this location is scheduled for completion within the next year.[1]