SAN DIEGO, CA -- The Trump administration is waiving federal contracting laws to speed up construction of the U.S.-Mexico border wall.
The Department of Homeland Security says the move will allow 177 miles of wall to be built more quickly in California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. Federal authorities say the waivers will allow at least 94 miles of wall to be built this year.
In Seattle on the other hand, a U.S. judge is dealing a blow to President Trump's plan to use funds intended for Washington state to pay for his border wall.
U.S. District Judge Barbara Rothstein ruled last week that Trump may not divert nearly $90 million dollars intended for a construction project at Washington state's Naval Base Kitsap.
Judge Rothstein says Trump's emergency proclamation to divert money from the project is illegal because Congress had already banned Trump from spending additional money on his border wall.
The ruling was in response to a case brought by state Attorney General Bob Ferguson.
At a rally last month in Nevada, President Trump defended his border policies.Holding a rally in Las Vegas, Trump said illegal border crossings have diminished for eight straight months.
He again condemned sanctuary city policies and said they are havens for dangerous foreign criminals.
Trump also touted his massive border wall.He said roughly 500 miles of border barriers should be completed by the end of the year.
Trump has been tapping into Defense Department funds to pay for the wall.He repeatedly promised that Mexico would pay for the wall during the 2016 campaign.