Biden rescinds emergency declaration at border

Two years ago, former President Donald Trump paved the way to use Pentagon money to help build a wall along the southern U.S. border by declaring an emergency there. On Thursday, President Joe Biden officially reversed that action.

Why the change? In a letter, Biden called Trump’s emergency declaration “unwarranted” and said he directed that “no more American taxpayer dollars be diverted to construct a border wall.” He said he also ordered a review of all money spent on the project so far. Meanwhile, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said his state was still fighting the president’s attempt to put a freeze on deportations. Arrests at the U.S.-Mexico border are up 6 percent from December, according to border officials.

Dig deeper: Read Harvest Prude’s report in The Stew about Biden’s quick action to change immigration policy during his first days in office.