Legislation to have Texas build a wall on the southern border is hitting a roadblock in the Texas House.
Earlier this year, State Rep. Bryan Slaton (R–Royse City) filed House Bill 2862 to finish the Texas-Mexico border wall.
Under Slaton’s legislation, not only would the wall be completed, but the Texas governor would also be required to obtain reimbursement from the government for the costs incurred, as well as call the barrier the “President Donald J. Trump Wall.”
The bill was later referred to the House State Affairs Committee. Slaton says the bill could die there.
“In the last 48 hours, I have been told by Chris Paddie, the chairman of State Affairs, that our bill to have Texans finish the border wall will not be receiving a hearing this session,” Slaton stated.
“With well over 100,000 illegal immigrants crossing the open Texas border last month, I don’t understand how this isn’t a top priority for Republican leadership. I asked Speaker Dade Phelan to re-refer the bill to a Republican who might actually take the bill seriously and was told by his office yesterday that they won’t do that.”
Though Trump completed a large portion of new barriers along the southern border, one of President Joe Biden’s first executive orders halted construction, leaving sections unfinished, in spite of his support for a border wall under the Secure Fence Act of 2006.
Slaton encouraged individuals to reach out to Chairman Chris Paddie and House Speaker Dade Phelan.
“The Texas border wall bill is dead unless Texans speak out,” Slaton said.
