Pentagon: Biden plans to divert border wall money

The Pentagon outlined plans for redirecting funds and repurposing contracts from former President Donald Trump's signature border wall project.

The border wall construction project would lose much of its funding as well as the fast-track status that enabled it to bypass environmental regulations under a Biden administration plan announced Friday.

In a press briefing Pentagon spokesperson, John Kirby, told reporters, "The department has developed a plan for redirecting funds and repurposing contracts that are connected with the border barrier construction."

"The deputy secretary today has approved a plan to use 2.2 billion dollars in unobligated military construction funds that were previously made available for border barrier construction to restore funding in this fiscal year for 66 projects in 16 countries,11 states and three territories."

President Joe Biden suspended construction of the wall upon taking office while his administration reviewed the project.

That angered Republicans in Congress eager to see it go forward amid an increase in apprehensions of migrants along the southwest border.

The new plan does not cancel the wall project outright, but it's still likely to face opposition in Congress, where many Republicans are eager to promote a project closely associated with the former president.

Biden plans to return more than $2 billion that the Trump administration diverted from the Pentagon to help pay for the wall and use other money appropriated by Congress to address "urgent life, safety, and environmental issues" created by the construction.

It also asks lawmakers not to provide any additional funding for what the Biden team believes is an unnecessary effort.

"Building a massive wall that spans the entire southern border and costs American taxpayers billions of dollars is not a serious policy solution or responsible use of federal funds," the Office of Management and Budget said in a statement outlining the plan.

The government has built walls and other barriers along the 2,000-mile (3,200-kilometer) U.S.-Mexico border for decades to eliminate some of the easier routes of avoiding checkpoints.

Trump turned the issue into a centerpiece of his political identity.

Biden's decision to suspend construction prompted Republican senators to ask the Government Accountability Office to investigate whether the administration was violating federal law in not using appropriated money for its intended purpose.

The administration said Friday that it will use funds already set aside by Congress for "their appropriated purpose, as required by law" but is requesting no new money for wall construction in the Department of Homeland Security's 2022 budget.

Biden is instead seeking money for increased technology at the ports of entry and elsewhere, saying there are more efficient ways to stop illegal immigration and drug smuggling at the border.

Kirby also announced in Friday's briefing, a new $150 million military package for Ukraine.

The new package for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) compliments the $125 million USAI package announced on March 1, 2021.

The Pentagon states that the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) includes training, equipment, and advisory efforts to help Ukraine's forces preserve the country's territorial integrity, secure its borders, and improve interoperability with NATO.

Ukraine has harbored hopes for increased military aid during the Biden administration and is looking for backing in its bid for NATO membership.

Ukraine has long battled against Russia-backed separatists in the east and in the halls of government in Kyiv.

Crimea and large swaths of eastern Ukraine's Donbas region are under Russian occupation.

Fighting in the region has claimed thousands of Ukrainian lives.

Russia launched a buildup of troops near the border earlier this year before announcing in April that it would pull back those forces.