Zinke Suggests Parts Of Border Wall Could Be On Mexican Side Of Rio Grande

A truck drives near the Mexico-US border fence, on the Mexican side, separating the towns of Anapra, Mexico and Sunland Park, New Mexico, Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2017. U.S. President Donald Trump will direct the Homelan... A truck drives near the Mexico-US border fence, on the Mexican side, separating the towns of Anapra, Mexico and Sunland Park, New Mexico, Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2017. U.S. President Donald Trump will direct the Homeland Security Department to start building a wall at the Mexican border. (AP Photo/Christian Torres) MORE LESS
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Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke on Tuesday suggested that parts of President Donald Trump’s proposed wall could be on the Mexican side of the United States’ southern border.

“The Rio Grande, what side of the river are you going to put the wall? We’re not going to put it on our side and cede the river to Mexico,” Zinke told members of the Public Lands Council, as quoted by E&E News. “And we’re probably not going to put it in the middle of the river.”

A 1970 boundary treaty mandates that structures along the Rio Grande and Colorado River, which define the U.S.-Mexican border, cannot disrupt the flow of either.

Zinke conceded that electronic defenses may be more appropriate than a physical barrier in some areas, and that regions with preexisting natural barriers may not need further construction.

“The border is complicated, as far as building a physical wall,” he said.

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Notable Replies

  1. Any talk of a wall is soooo premature. Congress did not run on the wall, the Donald did.

  2. “The border is complicated, as far as building a physical wall,” he said.

    Everything can’t be Healthcare.

  3. It scares me to say it, but Mr. Zinke seems to be the least insane member of the Drumpfster Fire so-called alternative administration…

  4. and just how does ZINKE propose to acquire the ‘land’ from MEXICO? eminent domain is an AMERICAN thing…geez!

  5. Nobody knew that building a wall could be so complicated.

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