Now that President Joe Biden seems interested in running for another term, he is finally turning his attention to the porous southern border. The U.S Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) U.S. Border Patrol is finally scheduled to begin construction next week to close gaps in the border barrier near the Morelos Dam, in what critics say is just part of a presidential campaign public relations effort.
The Biden administration went after former Arizona Governor Doug Ducey for his effort to secure parts of the border, including portions near the Morelos Dam, with empty shipping containers to slow down the massive influx of drugs and hundreds of thousands of subjects of human trafficking. In response to Ducey, last Spring, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced plans for the Yuma Morelos Dam Project.
The project includes areas along the Colorado River that contained temporary infrastructure put in place by the State of Arizona. CBP is scheduled to begin mobilizing for construction next week and the project is anticipated to be completed in Summer 2023. This project will be funded with DHS’s Fiscal Year 2021 appropriations and will address operational impacts, as well as immediate life and safety risks.
Despite the fact that the Morelos Dam and the swift moving Colorado River presents safety and life hazard risks for migrants trying to illegally cross into the United States, the Biden administration did nothing.
“The safety and security or our workforce, law enforcement partners, and the local community are a top priority,” said Acting Chief Patrol Agent Patricia McGurk-Daniel in a press release. “Yuma Sector is dedicated to working with our state, local, and tribal counterparts to ensure a multi layered approach to secure our nation’s borders and protect our local community.”