*Editor's Note* This story has been updated to include the cancellation of the planned rally and the resumption of construction, as well as the mayor's presser that took place later in the day.
In an interview with Liberty Nation, Darryl Dunlap, president and founder of New Mexico Patriots, explained that the city of Sunland Park, NM, has rescinded their cease-and-desist order. After two days of intense pressure from thousands of New Mexico residents and the group We Build the Wall, construction will reportedly be allowed to resume on the border wall. The first in a series of planned border segments, privately funded by U.S. citizens, will be completed in the next three days. Liberty Nation tried to reach the mayor of Sunland Park, Javier Perea, but never received any response.
The one-half mile section of steel bollard fence construction is located on private land owned by American Eagle Brick Company and is near the base of Mount Cristo Rey, approximately 60 feet on the U.S. side of the border.
It is a watershed moment for New Mexico and any American who prioritizes national security over unchecked illegal immigration.
How Does One Prepare Crow?
Sunland Park Mayor Javier Perea, just two short days ago, self-righteously explained the reasons for the legal intervention of wall construction. At first, the city needed an environmental impact study. Next, Perea said the permit, filed weeks previously, was “incomplete.” But then he went all in and called it a safety issue, as the wall is 18 feet tall and his city has an “under six” ordinance to uphold. “Safety is always a concern for the city of Sunland Park,” he declared.
A laughable statement, considering the porous border – in the heart of his city – that is undermanned and unchecked.
But the crow is being prepared for consumption and Perea is donning a bib.
Darryl Dunlap
Former Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, general counsel for We Build the Wall, and a team of lawyers have been working with local authorities since day one and knew the order by Sunland Park Mayor Javier Perea was unwarranted. As Kobach told reporters, “There is nothing in the ordinances that prohibits us building a wall, and the city of Sunland Park has come to that same conclusion.”
Steve Bannon, also on the We Build the Wall advisory board, and Kobach assured that all the proper steps in the permitting process were followed.
But it may have been the efforts of fed up citizens that turned the tide against Perea.
Darryl Dunlap explained the mayor’s apparent about-face:
“The initial word we got was there was such large public outcry from the [New Mexico] Patriots and other groups that they chose to go ahead and allow construction. But then we also received the reports that the mayor is contradicting that, possibly. So, we'll find out what we can when we arrive on scene.”
He was at the Sunland Park building site to attend the We Build the Wall Rally – a line-up that included speakers Sheriff David Clarke, Kobach, Steve Bannon, Tom Tancredo, a host of Angel parents, General Robert Spalding, and We Build the Wall founder Brian Kolfage. However, after the press conference at noon local time, the rally was canceled and construction resumed. Tours and interviews were still available, so long as they stayed clear of the concrete about to be poured.
Brian Kolfage, is a retired Navy veteran and triple amputee. He started the fundraising effort on GoFundMe last fall after Congress denied President Trump’s proposed budget to construct more border fence and add additional Border Patrol agents. Within a few short months, Kolfage had over $23 million to use on private property.
The stretch of land through Sunland Park was deemed impossible to secure, but as Dunlap describes:
“There's two 21-mile sections of wall with about a mile, mile-and-a-half gap between them. And there's a large group of mountains right in the middle of that gap. The Army Corps of Engineers had stated previously that it was going to be impossible to build the wall up through that area. We Build the Wall group, through private funding on their GoFundMe site, has succeeded in being able to put the wall where they said it couldn't be.”
A huge victory for New Mexico and America.
Keeping Up the Pressure
Kolfage is on record saying that Democrats and the governor of New Mexico are attempting to derail the process and Dunlap concurs, fully understanding the road is uphill all the way. “We're on the radar of many government agencies as far as what we're trying to achieve.”
The determination of the people of New Mexico to undermine the policies of their alt-left governor leaves them in the crosshairs of national Democrats. But this was a much-needed win for the citizens of the state.
Kolfage, Dunlap, and the New Mexico Patriots will be at today’s event, now dubbed “the People’s Wall Rally.” And the success or failure of the day may be a litmus test for continued funding of private property border projects. If the recent win in Sunland Park, NM, is any indication, additional donors may just flood Kolfage’s GoFundMe page.
So, for now, building the People’s Wall is back on – and being celebrated as machines whir and the dust is kicked up in defiance.
Jeff Allen, co-owner of the American Eagle Brick Company, left it all on the table: "Why wouldn't we allow it? We have dealt with illegals coming across. We have been attacked by illegals coming across. We have been burglarized by illegals. We have drug traffickers coming through here and anyone who is against this is against America.”
After numerous failed attempts to reach him from multiple news outlets, Mayor Perea held a press conference Thursday afternoon. To make a long story short, the construction was done too fast for the bureaucrats to keep up and make sure all the red tape was respected.
He confirmed that city staff did indeed reissue some permits, but claimed that they acted in haste and the permits shouldn't have been issued. However, he did say that the people of We Build the Wall have been amicable and that, so long as they come into and remain in compliance with all city and state ordinances, the city will continue to work with them. As of now, the cease and desist has indeed been rescinded and they're cleared to build lights and some fence, so long as they're in compliance with all city ordinances.
This is a developing story -- stay tuned to Liberty Nation for updates.
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