Judge rules to pause lawsuit against border wall construction amid government shutdown

A federal judge has ruled to put a hold on a case that will decide the legality of a new segment of border wall going up in southern Arizona.

Environmental groups filed suit against the Trump administration shortly after the administration announced plans to build new border wall along a roughly 27 mile stretch of San Rafael Valley — a biodiversity hotspot that serves as a critical habitat for cross-border species like the jaguar, ocelot and jaguar.

The company Fisher Sand and Gravel was awarded a more than $390 million contract to build the segment, and construction began in September.

In the latest ruling, Magistrate Judge James Marner said the lawsuit cannot continue amid the government shutdown — which began on Oct. 1.

Russ McSpadden is the southwest conservation advocate for the Center for Biological Diversity, one of the groups behind the suit.

This is truly one of the best jaguar movement corridors we have remaining in the United States, connecting to Mexico,” McSpadden said. “If this thing goes on for a long time, I think we’ll argue pretty hardly that if the case is stayed, then the wall needs to be stayed as well.”

Department of Justice lawyers argue their attorneys cannot legally work during a shutdown. The plaintiffs argue allowing construction to move forward while the case against it does not will cause irreversible damage.