Washington, D.C.—Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28) released the following statement regarding the notice from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regarding a pause on all border wall construction activities on their self-executed projects by January 27, 2021:

“This morning, as a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, I received notification that in accordance with President Biden’s executive order, all CBP contractors have now been formally notified by CBP Procurement to pause construction activities on CBP self-executed projects. While CBP cannot speak on behalf of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) or U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), it is expected that DOD and USACE are undertaking parallel action on CBP-funded border wall projects that they are overseeing.

“This is a promising step in our work to halt construction of the ineffective and wasteful border wall and undo the damage that borderlands have experienced these past four years. However, our work continues. I remain steadfast in my commitment to working with the new administration until every border wall contract is terminated and all construction crews leave our border communities.”

Read Congressman Cuellar’s letter to the Biden-Harris administration here. The letter called for the administration to rescind the national emergency declaration and reprogrammed funding; direct the Department of Justice to dismiss all condemnation suits; terminate for convenience all current and pending Army Corps of Engineer contracts; and rescind Homeland Security waiver authority relating to the construction of new border barriers.

Read President Biden’s Proclamation on the termination of emergency on the Southern border and redirection of funds diverted to border wall construction here.