Given the waste of time and money evident in the government’s efforts to build a wall along our southern border, it is no wonder Mexican officials want no part of paying for it.

Pardon our sarcasm, please. It is difficult to restrain it upon hearing more evidence of how bureaucracy in the U.S. government can make even a simple project eat taxpayers’ money by the ton.

President Donald Trump is pushing for construction of the wall, to curb illegal immigration. A report released recently by the Government Accountability Office accuses the Homeland Security agency of cutting corners in an attempt to begin work on the project.

Remember the unveiling of eight prototypes for the wall earlier this year? It turns out none of the eight designs, developed at a cost of $20 million, will work. Back to the drawing board.

By one estimate, about $1.6 billion has been spent this year alone on “infrastructure” allegedly needed to erect the wall.

Trump’s critics blame the mess on him. Our bet is on the bureaucrats at Homeland Security, one of whom explained massive spending and delays by saying, “Despite an aggressive schedule and intense pressure to quickly yield results, we are committed to following sound acquisition practices and are focused on deliberative analysis to support our plans.”

Translation: Hey, we’re the bureacuracy. Don’t push us — or we’ll waste even more money.”

The swamp strikes again.