EXCLUSIVE — The Department of Homeland Security gave U.S. Customs and Border Protection permission to ignore environmental and land regulations and immediately begin constructing a border wall between the United States and Mexico in Southern California, the Washington Examiner confirmed.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem issued the department’s first waiver since taking office in January. The waiver allows the federal government to bypass environmental rules to build 2.5 miles of barrier in Jacumba Hot Springs and San Diego, California — regions that experienced high levels of illegal immigration during the Biden administration.