Acting Pentagon chief Patrick Shanahan said on Monday he had authorized $1billion to build part of the US President Donald Trump’s wall along the US-Mexico border, Daily Mail reported. 

The funds will be allocated to build 57 miles of 18ft fencing, build and improve roads, and install lighting to support Trump's emergency declaration as concerns the border.

Building fences at the border with Mexico was one of Trump's campaign promises. The presidential administration believes that the wall will help prevent illegal immigration and drug smuggling.

The construction works of the wall kicked off under Bill Clinton’s presidency and continued after 2006. Then George W. Bush signed the Secure Fence Act. To date, 1078 kilometers of obstacles have been constructed. Trump wants to build another 1600 kilometers.

First, the Republicans managed to hold a document on the allocation of nearly six billion dollars for the construction of barriers, but the bill did not pass the Senate. The House of Representatives also said they did not intend to fund the construction.

These confrontations led to shutdown at the end of 2018.

In mid-February, Trump declared a state of emergency at the border. Thus, it can receive more than six billion dollars and do without the approval of Congress, which is required by the Constitution. This step has already been challenged in the courts.