A New Mexico town ordered the nonprofit We Build The Wall to “cease and desist” construction on a U.S.-Mexico border fence on Tuesday for lacking proper permitting.
The completed section of the privately-funded border fence, which runs about half a mile, violates a Sunland Park city ordinance. City officials were barred from inspecting the wall last week and the property owner submitted an incomplete application to build a fence on his land, Sunland Park Mayor Javier Perea said in a Tuesday press conference.
“We have issued a cease and desist order to the owner of the property,” Perea said. “At this point, it will be turned over to the courts for follow-up on the matter.”
The application to build the fence lacked survey data and a proper blueprint. The fence is also larger than the six-foot maximum set by city law.
We Build The Wall is a nonprofit group launched by triple amputee veteran Brian Kolfage and funded through a $20 million GoFundMe effort orchestrated by Kolfage.
Kolfage reacted to the news on Twitter, maintaining that We Build The Wall is in full compliance with city law and accusing the city government of using “corrupt actions” and lies to try and stop the border wall’s construction.
We Build The Wall “planned for a battle, that’s why we finished the wall in 3 days when the corrupt city was partying over the holiday! Only thing left is to pave the road for border patrol!” Kolfage said.
What cartel paid off the Sunland Park City officials to lie and shut down our wall project?! THEY LIED! exactly why we kept it quiet. @Jim_Jordan @DRUDGE @gatewaypundit @DonaldJTrumpJr @GOPLeader @BreitbartNews @gehrig38 @cnnbrk @FoxNews @DeplorableChoir @TrumpStudents
— Brian Kolfage (@BrianKolfage) May 28, 2019
EVERYTHING happens for a reason, the corrupt actions of Sunland Park officials just shined an even larger spotlight on us- THANK YOU! almost $1 million dollars raised in 24 hrs!!! The perfect storm is brewing! Let’s get another $20 million @DustinStockton @Rambobiggs @gehrig38
— Brian Kolfage (@BrianKolfage) May 29, 2019
It’s pretty bad when our legal team has to educate Sunland Park mayor on his own city ordinances. They don’t even understand their own laws.
We’re about to embarrass them in from of the nation who is watching!@Rambobiggs @gatewaypundit @RyanAFournier @DRUDGE @JudgeJeanine
— Brian Kolfage (@BrianKolfage) May 29, 2019
Kolfage also contested the Sunland Park mayor’s statement, saying that city officials inspected the construction site.
“The governor trying to flex, city of Sunland park said we had no permits trying to shut us down- BULLSHIT! They were on site on Friday and gave us green light to build!” Kolfage said.
Here we go!! Liberals trying to intimidate us! SOUND THE ALARM. The governor trying to flex, city of Sunland park said we had no permits trying to shut us down- BULLSHIT! They were on site on Friday and gave us green light to build! @RyanAFournier @DRUDGE @Rambobiggs @MarkDice pic.twitter.com/C1L90Z0Lsa
— Brian Kolfage (@BrianKolfage) May 28, 2019
After months of promotion, We Build The Wall unveiled a section of nearly-completed wall over the Memorial Day weekend. The nonprofit plans to build the fence on private property and sell it to the U.S. government for $1.
Perea did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
[Also read: Judge partially blocks Trump’s border wall plan, bars use of DOD funds]
