Trump signs order for construction of Mexico border wall

WASHINGTON: Following up with his electoral pledge, US President Trump on Wednesday signed an executive order to build a border wall with Mexico to prevent flow of illegal immigration, The Washington Post reported.

According to an estimate bythe US Home department, there are about 11 million immigrants living illegally in America. The presidential directives signed Wednesday aim to create more detention centers, add thousands of Border Patrol agents and withhold federal funds from what are known as sanctuary cities, which do not comply with federal immigration laws. 

One order calls for the immediate construction of a physical wall, the newspaper reported. According to reports, more directives could come later this week, including new restrictions on refugees and immigrants from Muslim-majority countries over concerns about terrorism.

Reacting to the US move, Mexico’s President Enrique Pena Nieto has said that his country will not pay for the wall. Mexico does not believe in walls. Ive said time again; Mexico will not pay for any wall, Pena Nieto said in the video statement on Twitter, which was translated from Spanish by CNN.

In an interview with ABC News, Trump repeated his claim that Mexico would pay for the wall, reimbursing it 100 percent. After Pena’s refusal, Trump said it would be better to cancel his scheduled meeting later this month if the latter continues with refusal to pay for a wall on the border.