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Trump Administration Extends Southern Border Emergency Status For Another Year

The Trump administration extended for another year the 2019 national emergency declaration for the southern border.

It was the administration's latest attempt to prevent President-elect Joe Biden from halting border wall construction.

President Donald Trump used the 2019 emergency declaration to divert billions of dollars from Department of Defense funds to border wall construction.

He argued the declaration was necessary to "deal with border security." On Saturday, he announced he would extend it for a year.

The announcement came only days ahead of the inauguration of Joe Biden, who promised to build “not another foot” of wall, and as border advocates urge Biden to halt construction within the first days of his presidency.

The Supreme Court was scheduled to hear arguments in a case over the use of the Defense funds in the spring.

The announcement also came almost a week after Trump visited a portion of the wall in the Rio Grande Valley.

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María Méndez can be reached at maría@tpr.org or on Twitter at @anxious_maria