New Mexico Governor Responds to Federal Claim It Can Waive State Law for Border Wall
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham issued a statement October 2 responding to the Trump administration's claim that the Homeland Security secretary can unilaterally exempt federal projects — including border-wall construction — from state law, according to governor.state.nm.us.
The governor said Washington cannot sideline state environmental, land-use, and public-safety laws by administrative fiat, vowing to use every legal tool to defend state authority. The statement noted wall construction implicates water resources, wildlife habitat, and other state-regulated matters.
Legal experts say federal-state jurisdiction fights over border infrastructure are long-standing. Past administrations have invoked federal waiver authority to build border barriers, drawing lawsuits from environmental groups and border states; the latest exchange could trigger a fresh round.
The federal government had not responded to the statement. Like Texas, Arizona, and California, New Mexico has a long southern border, and any new wall moves reverberate through local communities and conservation groups.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: Dicklyon, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
