WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Joe Biden said on Thursday he can’t stop federal funds from being used to build sections of a U.S.-Mexico border wall after Congress appropriated the money, adding that he still does not think such a barrier works.
Biden said he tried to get Congress to reallocate the funds for the barriers touted by his predecessor but that he could not by law redirect the money.
“I can’t stop that,” he said. Asked if a border wall works, he told reporters, “No.”
The move to build additional sections of the wall is a shift for Biden, who campaigned against the policy embraced by Republican former U.S. President Donald Trump. Both are seeking the presidency in 2024.
The new construction would build barriers and roads in a part of Texas that has seen large numbers of migrants crossing from Mexico.
(Reporting by Nandita Bose; writing by Susan Heavey; Editing by Doina Chiacu)
