Will The US – Mexico Border Wall Get Built? Trump Says Yes But Judge Says No

Federal Judge David Briones of the U.S. District Court in El Paso, Texas, ruled Tuesday against the transfer of $3.6 billion military construction funds to build the U.S.-Mexico border wall.

Judge Briones' ruling, however, is unlikely to deter the Trump administration. The border wall was Trump's signature 2016 promise, with his goal to construct 450 miles of barriers by the 2020 election, and the White House continues to campaign for it while contradicting Briones' decision.

At a Trump rally Tuesday in Hershey, Pennsylvania, Trump claimed that "far-left politicians" were fighting to prevent the wall. "But we're building it and we're fine," Trump exclaimed. "And we have the money coming in from the military."

Trump added that "these people fought me and we're winning in court." It's unclear whether Trump had heard the news that Judge Briones blocked the transfer of the military funds. The administration is expected to appeal the ruling.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., tweeted that the ruling is "a victory for our Constitution and our system of checks and balances." She described the proposed wall as "wasteful" and "ineffective."

The Trump administration has been pushing ahead on the border wall, with the Pentagon announcing last week that North Dakota company Fisher Sand and Gravel has been awarded $400 million to design and build part of the wall in Yuma County, Arizona. Defense Secretary Mark Esper authorized the diversion of $3.6 billion in funds from the Department of Defense in September but indicated he would abide by all court orders.

Trump's plan to build the wall has caused severe political tension with Democrats.

Trump reached an impasse with House Democrats in December 2018, effectively shutting down the government due to border negotiations. Trump wanted $5.7 billion in federal money to fund the border wall as part of an appropriations bill for the 2019 fiscal year, while Democrats resisted. The shutdown lasted a total of 35 days, the longest in American history.

The shutdown ended with Trump signing a three-week funding measure, which did not have funds for a border wall. In February, Trump announced he was declaring a national emergency, which he believes would allow him to use $8 billion in federal money to finance the border wall.

Democrats, along with some Republican lawmakers, had expressed concern over the emergency declaration.

During the 2016 campaign, Trump's supporters frequently chanted "build the wall" at rallies. Trump claimed that the U.S. could coerce Mexico into funding the wall.

"I will build a great, great wall on our southern border. And I will have Mexico pay for that wall," Trump said on June 15, 2015, as he announced he was running for office. He has since said that he meant that Mexico would not pay for the wall "directly."