Biden admin. OKs project to fill gaps in border wall near Yuma

The Biden administration has authorized construction to close gaps in a U.S southern border wall near Arizona's Yuma, citing safety concerns.

The authorization comes from Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Thursday concerning a border wall project spearheaded by the Trump administration.

President Joe Biden had campaigned on halting all border wall construction, and on his first day in office signed a proclamation to terminate Department of Defense funds the previous White House had diverted for the project.

Mayorkas said U.S. Customs and Border Protection has now been authorized to fill four gaps located within the incomplete border barrier near the Morelos Dam in the U.S. Border Patrol's Yuma Sector, stating it will address "immediate life and safety risks."

"Due to the proximity to the Morelos Dam and the swift moving Colorado River, this area presents safety and life hazard risks for migrants attempting to cross into the United States where there is a risk of drownings and injuries from falls," he said in a statement. "This area also poses a life and safety risk to first responders and agents responding to incidents in this area."