Building on private property and funded by donations, a citizens group led by former Trump strategist Steve Bannon is nearly finished work on a section of a US’ border wall near the city of Sunland Park in New Mexico.
The half-mile stretch cost between $6m and $8m, reports CNN.
But the initiative has fallen foul of the city council, which yesterday issued a cease and desist order saying the structure was not in compliance with city ordinance.Â
The group “We Build the Wall”, founded by triple-amputee Air Force veteran Brian Kolfage, raised more than $20m in donations since December from around 300,000 people through a GoFundMe campaign.
“The wall is ALREADY working!!” the group posted on its Facebook page last night. “BUT the city of Sunland Park, NM is trying to SHUT US DOWN! They won’t stop illegals, but they will stop our wall!”Â
In another post the group said: “While Americans sleep, our crew is still working hard through the night. Our incredible workers will keep putting the wall up through the steepest portion of this heavily trafficked area we’re tackling … and doing it all in the dark … dedicated to ensuring our country’s safety.”
Kolfage, who lost both legs and an arm, says on the group’s GoFundMe page: “If you are sick and tired of watching politicians in both parties obstructing President Trump’s plan to build a wall on our southern border, then you’ve come to the right place. We The People are coming together to start building segments of President Trump’s wall on private property and the best part is, we’re going to do it for a fraction of what it costs the government.”Â
Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, who chairs We Build the Wall’s advisory board, told CNN on Monday that the stretch of private wall connects two 21-mile sections of existing fencing.
The main contractor is Fisher Industries, a North Dakota-based company that President Trump has put forward to build the barrier, said reports.
Image: Brian Kolfage (We Build the Wall)
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