Trump hails court decision on US-Mexico border wall

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

ANKARA (AA) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday hailed a court decision that green lights his administration to build a section of his controversial southern border wall.

"Breaking News: The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals just reversed a lower court decision & gave us the go ahead to build one of the largest sections of the desperately needed Southern Border Wall, Four Billion Dollars," Trump said on Twitter.

"Entire Wall is under construction or getting ready to start!" he said.

Trump's remarks came hours after a federal appeals court in Louisiana ruled Wednesday the government could use $3.6 billion in military funds to construct border barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border.

The decision is "a victory for the rule of law," said White House spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham. "We are committed to keeping our borders secure, and we will finish the wall."

The border wall was one of Trump's most prominent campaign promises on which he pledged to keep undocumented immigrants out of the country. However, no significant development has been made for three years.

Droves of migrants from Central American countries try each year to cross the treacherous deserts and rivers on the way to the U.S. in a bid to flee violence and poverty in their home countries.

Trump has pursued a hardline approach to immigration, both legal and illegal, since coming to the office.

Washington also signed a safe third country agreement with Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras = as part of its anti-immigration policy.

The safe third-country agreement forces Central American migrants to apply for asylum in the signed country and be processed in that country before they can seek asylum in the U.S., even though under U.S. laws migrants are allowed to apply for asylum within the U.S. or at official ports of entry.

Although Mexico rejected such a deal, it reached another one in June with the U.S. following a tariff which obligates the country to reduce the immigration flow.