WASHINGTON, May 11 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan has approved the transfer of $1.5 billion to build more than 130 km of barriers on the border with Mexico, including taking about $600 million from an account meant for Afghan security forces.
The latest move was opposed by congressional Democrats, who also criticized a March transfer of $1 billion in military money to fund Republican President Donald Trump’s wall.
“The funds were drawn from a variety of sources, including cost savings, programmatic changes and revised requirements, and therefore will have minimal impact on force readiness,” Shanahan said in a statement.
Shanahan said that the U.S. military had more than 4,000 service members on the border, along with 19 aircraft.
A U.S. official said the latest transfer would include $604 million from funds for the Afghan security forces, which are struggling to hold territory against Taliban militants.
The remainder of the money will come from a chemical demilitarisation programme, a retirement account, funds for Pakistan and Air Force programs.
Lawmakers have hinted they may respond by putting new restrictions on the Pentagon’s authority to move money around, as it has done in the past to deal with natural disasters.
Immigration is a signature issue of Trump’s presidency and re-election campaign. He declared a national emergency in order to redirect funding to build a border wall without Congress’ approval, and his fellow Republicans in Congress sustained his veto of legislation that would have stopped it. — NNN-AGENCIES
