A federal judge is allowing the Department of Homeland Security to go ahead with plans to build a border wall through a levee system protecting a small Texas town on the border with Mexico, rejecting arguments by the town that the wall could lead to flooding.

Background

The town of Presidio, with a population of about 3,200 people, argued the wall could cause flooding and that the administration isn’t following the law as it rushes forward with its plans. The town’s development district sued earlier this year to stop the department from going forward with construction.

But the judge said in his ruling that they were unlikely to succeed on the merits of the case. The Department of Homeland Security has been charging forward with its wall-building plan with senior administration officials saying a first layer of the structure will be done by next year.

Lawyers for Presidio’s development district argued in a court hearing that the government’s plans could compromise the levee system protecting the town from flash flooding and that the government flouted a key act that requires it to seek permission from the Army Corps of Engineers before building on or near the levees.

Response

“We are very disappointed that the court will allow this potentially disastrous construction to continue, but we remain committed to protecting the Big Bend area and those who rely on the threatened levees,” said the town’s development district in a statement.

Original reporting: KTSA News/Talk (San Antonio) — read the source article.