Skip to main content

DHS waives 31 environmental and historic preservation regulations to expedite border wall construction in Texas's Rio Grande Valley Sector

  1. Original Date Announced

    October 1, 2019

    Acting Secretary McAleenan waives 31 laws and regulations including NEPA, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act "in order to ensure the expeditious construction of barriers and roads in the vicinity of the international land border in Cameron County, Texas and Hidalgo County, Texas." [ID #433]

    CBP Press Release: DHS Issues Waiver to Expedite New Border Wall Gates Construction Project in Rio Grande Valley Determination Pursuant to Section 102 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, as Amended
  2. Effective Date

    October 1, 2019

Current Status

Fully in Effect

Original Trump Policy Status

Status: Final/Actual
Trump Administration Action: Agency Directive
Subject Matter: Border
Agencies Affected: CBP

Pre Trump-Era Policies

  • Under Section 102 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, as amended (‘‘IIRIRA’’), Congress mandated the installation of additional fencing, barriers, roads, lighting, cameras, and sensors on the southwest border and Congress granted to the Secretary of Homeland Security the authority to waive all legal requirements that the Secretary determines necessary to ensure the expeditious construction of barriers and roads authorized by the Act. DHS exercised the waiver authority in Section 102 (c) of IIRIRA on five occasions from 2005 to 2008. DHS has issued a waiver of certain laws, regulations and other legal requirements to speed up construction of barriers on multiple occasions in 2017 and 2018, including for border security construction near San Diego (August 2017); Calexico (Sept. 2017); San Teresa (Jan. 2018); San Diego (August 2018); and Hidalgo County (October 2018).

    Go to article on uscis.gov

We require registration to leave feedback. You may either:

  • Sign in with your current user name and password.

  • Register if you don't have a user name and password.