The wall built along the New Mexico border was illegally constructed, city officials confirmed, the landowner will get punishment for building without permission, a crime punishable by up to three months in jail.
City officials in Sunland Park, New Mexico, said in a court while filing the case that neither landowner George Cudahy nor the group We Builds The Wall take the necessary building permits to construct the multimillion-dollar barrier along the US-Mexico border over Memorial Day weekend.
The International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC), the agency who manages waterways between the US and Mexico, said construction team also failed to obtain authorization to build a gate that crossed onto federal land.
Cudahy, the CEO of American Eagle Brick Company, could charge up to 90 days in jail and a $500 fine for the violation. According to a complaint obtained by BuzzFeed News.
“The permits have not been issued due to the application being incomplete and still awaiting review,” said the complaint dated May 28. “Furthermore, construction has continued.”
The group known as “We Build the Wall” earlier, declared victory, saying they’re now effectively protecting a popular passage the immigrants use to enter the U.S. illegally.
The We Build The Wall campaign was founded by Brian Kolfage, he was a decorated Iraq War veteran with a huge history of creating and profiting from fake, inflammatory news and conspiracy theories.
Kolfage started the viral crowdfunding effort to collect a fund to create a wall along the US-Mexico border last year, raising more than $23 million before it was shut down.
Sunland Park sent We Build The Wall a cease-and-desist letter, but allowed construction of the barrier to continue. In a press conference, Mayor Javier Perea said construction would be allowed to move forward as long as organizers resumed compliance efforts.
“The construction of the wall at this point is, is in violation of city ordinance,” said Sunland Park Mayor Javier Perea. The man who owns the property wasn’t available for an interview, but his representative told CBS News that the government has long said to them there is a natural barrier and that it doesn’t make sense to put a wall there.
According to the complaint, city officials came to know about the construction on May 23. Two city officials go to the construction site to ask for building permits, but they were told to leave.
Court ordered Cudahy to present on June 19 but failed to do so. City officials say Cudahy also denied to accept the criminal complaint when he received the court documents.
BuzzFeed tried to contact to Cudahy for a comment, but his company’s no is no longer in service.
Steve Bannon, the former Trump White House chief strategist and chair of We Build The Wall’s advisory board, claims that the group will support Cudahy in any issues stemming from the project arise.