WASHINGTON – The Biden administration announced April 30 it would stop paying for construction projects along the southern border between Mexico and the United States, which were being funded with money originally designated for the military.

A Biden administration official said April 30 that "border wall construction under the previous administration tied up more than $14 billion in taxpayer funds."

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has long opposed construction of the wall, citing harm to migrants. In 2017, Bishop Joe S. Vásquez, who was chair of the USCCB's Committee on Migration, said he was "disheartened" with former President Donald Trump's prioritization of building the wall on the border with Mexico.

"This action will put immigrant lives needlessly in harm's way. Construction of such a wall will only make migrants, especially vulnerable women and children, more susceptible to traffickers and smugglers," he said.

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"Additionally, the construction of such a wall destabilizes the many vibrant and beautifully interconnected communities that live peacefully along the border. Instead of building walls, at this time, my brother bishops and I will continue to follow the example of Pope Francis. We will 'look to build bridges between people, bridges that allow us to break down the walls of exclusion and exploitation.'"

The border wall spending is part of a bevy of Trump-era immigration directives the Biden administration has been reviewing as it looks into immigration reform.

Biden administration officials said they would return remaining funds from the $14 billion to use as originally intended.

"To build a wall along the southern border, the previous administration redirected billions of dollars Congress provided for supporting American troops and their families and for purchasing military vehicles, aircraft and ships," Biden administration officials said in a statement.