Biden orders resumption of “border barrier” construction, “to protect vulnerable immigrants.”

Safety First

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Publish Date

March 5, 2021

A giant-sized Biden animatronic stationed on the Mexican side of the border well plays a recorded message that welcomes “brave men and women seeking a better life,” before explaining that the newly installed concertina wire is there to protect them from “the dangers involved in unprotected travel through the desert,” as well as “the threat posed by predatory human traffickers." The Bidenbot then instructs the “pilgrim travelers" to visit the “safe, legal, and soon-to-be-functional” immigration centers in Tijuana before thanking them for their interest in the United States, assuring them that they are exactly the sort of people that the United States wants and needs right now, and playing a recording of “Despacito."

One of the first things President Biden did after taking office was to sign an executive order halting construction of the controversial border wall between the United States and Mexico. The wall, which had been a prominent feature of President Trump’s campaign in 2016, was seen as representative of the differences between Trump and Biden in 2020 — suspicion vs. compassion, exclusion vs. inclusion, barriers vs. bridges, etc. So it’s understandable that some people were surprised by yesterday’s announcement that the Biden administration was re-starting construction on the project. However, said Biden spokesman Jan Spinster, “This should not be seen as backtracking. President Biden is not building a wall to keep immigrants out. He’s building a safety net, something to make sure they enter the country in ways that will preserve their health and dignity. Isn’t it wonderful that America once again has a president who cares?”