The Trump admin resumed building the border wall the moment they took office. Now it’s more complicated than ever.
Because President Trump’s border wall construction has taken a surprising left turn.
A global auction house specializing in government surplus, GovPlanet, announced on Friday its intention to collaborate with the Trump administration to return unused border wall materials originally listed for sale under the Biden administration, according to a statement provided to Fox News Digital.
In January 2021, President Joe Biden initiated actions that led to the auctioning of un-utilized border wall components. “Like every nation, the United States has a right and a duty to secure its borders and protect its people against threats. But building a massive wall that spans the entire southern border is not a serious policy solution,” Biden stated in an executive order that paused construction.
Until recently, the destiny of these materials—valued between $260 million and $350 million—remained uncertain. A Texas court battle in December 2024 imposed a 30-day halt on the auctions, with little public development afterward.
GovPlanet, a subsidiary of Ritchie Brothers Auctioneers-RB Global, based in British Columbia but founded in Illinois, shared with Fox News Digital, “GovPlanet has reached an agreement, working with the Office of the Border Czar, to return border wall materials that were previously deemed surplus and sourced by the federal government to GovPlanet via existing contracts.”
The company noted that a third-party contractor tasked with border wall construction will receive the materials within 90 days. GovPlanet emphasized its commitment to transferring these materials at cost to support the administration’s border security efforts, stating, “We are expediting the transfer of these materials to support the administration’s border protection plans. We value our longstanding partnership with the U.S. government and look forward to continuing to support America’s federal agencies.”
A White House official responded to Fox News Digital, saying the Trump administration is “grateful for all third parties who are interested in helping keep America’s borders safe and secure.”
Following Biden’s construction halt, Senators Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) highlighted that the Pentagon was spending $130,000 daily to store and secure the materials in New Mexico and Arizona, according to a 2023 statement from Fischer.
The 2024 National Defense Authorization Act mandated the Pentagon to devise a plan for transferring or selling the materials. Approximately 60% of the components were distributed to southwestern states, including Texas and California, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick noted that Texas acquired $12 million worth of materials through an auction.
By August 2023, GovPlanet listed numerous lots, including thousands of bollards and panels. The New York Post reported one sale of 729 hollow beams for $154,200, while ABC-15 Phoenix noted steel wall panels sold for as low as $1 each in sets of five. Ernst criticized the sales, stating that materials bought with taxpayer funds were being sold for “pennies on the dollar.”
Newsweek reported a total of $498,000 earned from the sales, with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers confirming compliance with federal acquisition regulations. However, Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham argued in court that the Biden administration violated prior judicial orders, per the Houston Chronicle. GovPlanet subsequently removed the listings.
On December 27, 2024, U.S. District Judge Drew Tipton issued a 30-day ban on further sales, as reported by Law & Crime. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton stated that Tipton also requested documentation to verify whether the Biden administration breached a prior ruling mandating funds for border wall construction.
Texas alleged that the auctions were disposing of materials equivalent to a half-mile of wall daily. Little progress occurred after the moratorium ended in January until GovPlanet’s recent announcement. Reports indicate the federal government no longer owns the materials, which are legally held by GovPlanet/RBGlobal.
Border Patrol union official Art del Cueto told ABC-15 that the materials could “pretty much be utilized.” He added, “They could put down footing, pick it back up and use it,” expressing frustration that rebuilding would require additional taxpayer funds, saying, “When you have to start with the new administration, wanting to rebuild it, what are we going to have to do, you’re going to have to use more taxpayer-funded money, which is insane to me.”
Trump Administration’s Crackdown on Illegal Immigration
The Trump administration has prioritized stringent immigration enforcement, with a renewed focus on border security as a cornerstone of its policy agenda. Upon taking office in January, President Donald Trump reinstated efforts to bolster physical barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border, reversing actions taken by the Biden administration to halt construction and auction off materials. This initiative aligns with Trump’s campaign promise to address illegal immigration aggressively, emphasizing the construction of a border wall as a deterrent to unauthorized crossings.
A significant development in this effort was the agreement with GovPlanet to return unused border wall materials to the federal government, as detailed above. This move ensures that materials originally purchased with taxpayer funds are repurposed for their intended use, avoiding additional costs.
The administration’s immigration strategy extends beyond physical barriers. Recent reports indicate a series of enforcement actions targeting illegal immigration. In early August, the Trump administration launched an enforcement sweep aimed at apprehending what officials described as the “worst of the worst” criminal illegal immigrants. This operation, reported by Fox News, focused on removing individuals with serious criminal records, signaling a zero-tolerance stance on immigration-related offenses.
Additionally, the administration has secured international cooperation to facilitate deportations. A new deportation agreement with Rwanda, announced in early August, aims to relocate illegal immigrants from U.S. soil, according to Fox News. This deal reflects Trump’s commitment to executing what he has described as the largest deportation effort in U.S. history, a plan that includes collaboration with countries willing to accept deportees.
The appointment of Tom Homan as “Border Czar” has been pivotal in driving these policies. Homan, a vocal advocate for strict immigration enforcement, has issued warnings to sanctuary cities, putting them “on notice” for non-compliance with federal immigration authorities, as reported by Fox News. His role involves overseeing both border security and interior enforcement, ensuring a comprehensive approach to immigration control.
