FMT:
As the US shut down, Trump’s legal fight to build wall ramped up
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In recent weeks, Trump has made the case that the global pandemic only proves the need for stronger borders AP pic |
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Mexican protesters blocked Mexico-bound lanes on one part of the border to stop United States travelers from entering their country and potentially spreading the new coronavirus, several news agencies reported |
WASHINGTON: Even as the Trump administration was struggling to deal with the coronavirus outbreak, it was ramping up efforts to seize land along US southern border to build a wall and fulfil a major campaign promise, a Reuters review of federal court records shows.
Donald Trump made building the wall a central promise of his 2016 campaign, but those efforts have been plagued by delays and false promises.
Late last year, the administration got more aggressive, pledging to use the federal courts to seize large swaths of private land, mostly in Texas.
While most of the US has been slowed by the Covid-19 crisis – which has infected more than 635,000 people and killed at least 31,000 more – Trump’s efforts to construct a southern border wall has only gained steam.
In the past 12 months, the administration opened 41 cases in federal court to seize land to build a wall along the southern border of Texas. Nearly half of those cases – 16, or 39% – were filed in the past two months.
The bulk of the new filings came in March, when the administration opened 12 cases, the most in any month under Trump, a Reuters review of federal filings found.
The administration wants immediate possession, bypassing traditional procedural steps and forcing landowners to move more swiftly, records show.
Advocates for the landowners say the administration is choosing a bad time to get more aggressive, forcing landowners to choose between leaving their home to fight the case or lose their property.
Also, a successful defence can be expensive, requiring paid experts, lawyers and other professionals at a time the US economy is shedding a record number of jobs.
“The timing, on a human level, is very bad,” said David Donatti, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in Texas who represents a family fighting government seizure of their property.
Nayda Alvarez, a 49-year-old public school teacher, was served court papers in March. She and her extended family – including her elderly father who suffers from several health issues – live on 2.4-hectare ranch along the Rio Grande river that the administration wants to take immediately.
“It’s very scary. My hands are tied because we are quarantined and fighting the federal government, literally,” said Alverez, who is working with the ACLU and another group, the Texas Civil Rights Project, in her defence.
She was preparing to go to federal court on Tuesday, donning a mask and gloves, but her lawyers were able to delay the hearing until June.
Unlike in other states, most of the US borderland in Texas is privately owned, which has delayed wall construction by the US Army Corps of Engineers. Federal lawyers have had to comb property records, track down landowners, make offers to buy the land and — if owners refuse to sell — file lawsuits to seize the land.
The White House did not respond to requests for comments for this story.
In recent weeks, Trump has made the case that the global pandemic only proves the need for stronger borders. On March 12, he retweeted a follower’s commentary linking the health scare to the need for strong borders and added “We need the Wall more than ever!”.
Kerbau lah. The pandemic in the US is so BAD, in fact the WORST on the global scale with more than 2,000 dying in just one day, that Mexicans are protesting at the border, demanding Americans do not enter their country and go back home.
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Carrot Head is now frantic in building the wall (at least in Texas if not elsewhere) to show his supporters he is fulfilling his promise, BECAUSE the presidential election is just around the corner.
He is like Mahathir who made promises but only to ignore them once he had won the elections.
Let's be fair shall we. We all know Toonsie breaks his "promises" to the Rakyat.
ReplyDeleteBut Jibby was no different. He broke his promises to President Trump....RM100 billion of Malaysian taxpayer's money to be invested in the richest country in the world, even Menteri Di-Masuk Pintu Belakang was upset....ha ha ha....
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Najib offers investment and security pledges to US
September 14, 2017
STRAITS TIMES
Malaysian PM promises to invest billions of dollars as well as full support in combating terrorism
Nirmal Ghosh US Bureau Chief In Washington
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak and US President Donald Trump were all smiles at the White House as Datuk Seri Najib promised to invest billions of dollars in the United States, and pledged Malaysia's full support in combating terrorism.
"It's an honour to have you here," Mr Trump told Mr Najib in front of reporters at the start of their meeting on Tuesday afternoon.
Hours later, Mr Najib tweeted: "Thank you President... for the warm welcome & hospitality. Much was discussed, from bilateral trade to combating extremism. I look forward to stronger ties between our two nations."
Later on Tuesday, Malaysia Airlines signed a US$3.9 billion (S$5.3 billion) memorandum of understanding to buy eight Dreamliners and eight 737 Max 8 aircraft.
Malaysia Airlines may buy more planes, Mr Najib told Mr Trump at the White House.
Mr Trump, who has been concerned about US trade deficits, including with Malaysia, told journalists: "We are working on one deal where between US$10 billion and US$20 billion worth of Boeing jets are going to be purchased, General Electric engines will be purchased, and many other things."
Mr Najib opened the conversation with "strong value" propositions, including the Boeing deal, and a promise that Malaysia's Employees Provident Fund - which already had nearly US$7 billion in equities in the US - would invest up to US$4 billion more to support infrastructure development, a cornerstone of the Trump agenda. The sovereign Khazanah fund also planned to increase its investment in high-tech companies, he said.
Dr Zachary Abuza, professor at the National War College in Washington, told The Straits Times that Mr Najib was "clearly looking for international recognition and approval ahead of the upcoming elections".
But the Malaysian Premier swiftly drew blowback at home, with Selangor Menteri Besar Mohamed Azmin Ali releasing a statement that he was "utterly shocked" that Malaysia would be investing as much as US$24 billion in the US.
"This investment is purportedly to "strengthen the US economy" at a time when our economy is crying out for greater investment, quite apart from the mystery as to why Malaysia needs to help out the world's largest economy," Datuk Seri Azmin said. "We understand that it is Najib's choice that he meets with US President Donald Trump, but leaders cannot mortgage the nation's economic well-being for a photo opportunity."
UNQUOTE
during h1n1, china stopped the mexican from entering china but allow americans, n ccp cry mother cry father when others initiate travel ban on their wuhan virus carrier, but do exactly the same thing toward their own wuhan people, this ccp is like mahathir, have manyak std.
ReplyDeleteno matter what subject we talk, we can always pull in mahathir, u see now how grreat is mahathir?
During the early stage of H1N1, all countries in the world were conned to believe that that pandemic originated in Mexico.
ReplyDeleteThus, not only China stopped the Mexican from entering China. Many countries in the world did the same!
Yr helicopter godmother, Formosa, did the same too by stopping the Mexican from entering but allowed her American uncle Sam unrestricted passages!
Mfer, keep twisting lah.
so who is the hypo that shout discrimination when others stop their virus carrier to enter?
DeleteWho?
DeleteYr uncle Sam for one, with yr 蔡妹妹 in toll!