Pentagon Approves Additional $1.5 Billion for Border Wall

Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan has approved an additional $1.5 billion to build 80 more miles of President Trump's border wall. 

#BREAKING #Border @ActingSecDef Pat Shanahan confirms he is transferring $1.5 billion in Pentagon funds for the border wall, including funds Pentagon was saving for #Afghanistan. But then tells me "I won't be reprogramming any more money for the border wall."

— Carla Babb (@CarlaBabbVOA) May 10, 2019

Department of Homeland Security officials, both current and former ones like President Obama's DHS Chief Jeh Johnson, insist there is a crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border. There were over 100,000 apprehensions in April alone, the highest monthly total since 2007.

At a recent hearing, Shanahan said the Pentagon has sufficient funds to build at least 256 miles of the wall.

Acting Secretary of Defense Shanahan: soon building 256 miles of border wall, 1/2 mile per day https://t.co/a5i36cQxlR pic.twitter.com/LiGdhxudcD

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) May 8, 2019

This post has been updated with additional information.