President Joe Biden’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has canceled 31 miles of border wall construction set for Laredo, Texas, that was previously funded by Congress and former President Trump’s administration.

On Friday, DHS officials announced that they were terminating two border wall construction projects concentrated in the Laredo region because it is “not necessary to address any life, safety, environmental, or other remediation requirements” outlined by Biden’s executive order that halted wall construction altogether.

According to DHS officials, the 31-mile project had not yet started and they are looking at canceling more border wall construction projects that were previously funded by Trump.

Officials wrote in a news release:

DHS continues to review all other paused border barrier projects and is in the process of determining which projects may be necessary to address life, safety, environmental, or other remediation requirements and where to conduct environmental planning. [Emphasis added]

The Administration also continues to call on Congress to cancel remaining border wall funding and instead fund smarter border security measures, like border technology and modernization of land ports of entry, that are proven to be more effective at improving safety and security at the border.
[Emphasis added]

While Biden cancels border wall construction, the state of Texas is breaking ground on border wall construction in Eagle Pass thanks to an initiative by Gov. Greg Abbott (R).

“The Texas Department of Transportation has begun clearing vegetation and constructing a concrete barrier on state land after a competitive bidding process,” a spokesperson for Abbott said of the project.

Meanwhile, illegal immigration continues surging.

Analysis by Steven Kopits of Princeton Policy Advisors estimates that the Biden administration will drive nearly 1.7 million illegal aliens to the U.S.-Mexico border by the end of 2021 — making it the worst year for illegal immigration in American history.

For perspective, should nearly 1.7 million illegal aliens arrive at the border this year, this would be a foreign population three times the size of Wyoming’s.

In June, more than 178,000 border crossers were encountered by federal immigration officials along the border. This total does not include illegal aliens who successfully crossed into the U.S., undetected by federal immigration officials.

John Binder is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at jbinder@breitbart.com. Follow him on Twitter here.