Biden Administration Sues Texas Governor Over Rio Grande Barrier Amid Concerns for Immigrants

Texas Governor, Greg Abbott, a Republican, is facing a lawsuit from the Justice Department over a recently built floating barrier on the Rio Grande. This barrier is his most aggressive attempt yet to prevent migrants from entering the United States from Mexico.

The Biden administration argues that the 1,000-foot line of bright orange, wrecking ball-sized buoys raises humanitarian and environmental concerns. The lawsuit seeks a federal judge in Austin to order Texas to remove the buoys. It alleges that Texas unlawfully and without authorization constructed the wall between the border towns of Eagle Pass and Piedras Negras, Mexico.

The installation of the buoys marks the latest escalation in Texas’ border security efforts, which includes razor-wire fencing, detaining migrants for trespassing, and transporting asylum seekers to Democratic-led cities in other states. The effectiveness of this two-year effort, known as “Operation Lone Star,” has been the subject of ongoing debate. It is now facing increased scrutiny due to a state trooper’s claim that some of these measures have caused injuries to migrants.

Governor Abbott sent President Joe Biden a letter defending Texas’ right to build the barrier ahead of the lawsuit. He accused Biden of endangering the safety of migrants by not taking more measures to discourage them from traveling to the United States.

The Biden administration reports a significant decrease in unauthorized border crossings since new immigration restrictions were implemented in May. U.S. Customs and Border Protection stated that migrant interactions dropped 30% from the previous month and reached the lowest levels since Biden’s first full month in office in June, which is also the first full month after the new policies took effect.

The actions taken by Governor Abbott have made it difficult for U.S. Border Patrol personnel to enter the Rio Grande, according to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. She condemned these “illegal actions,” stating that they undermine the president’s initiatives and goals.

Last week, the Justice Department sent a letter to Texas, giving them until Monday to decide whether to remove the barrier or face a lawsuit. The letter highlighted that the buoy wall poses humanitarian concerns, navigation risks, and public safety threats in the Rio Grande River. The International Boundary and Water Commission and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers were not informed when the buoys were deployed by the state. Mexico’s secretary of state also criticized the barrier, stating that it violates international agreements and called for federal government intervention.

The Biden administration has already filed previous lawsuits against Texas for its border policies. In 2021, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland accused the state of encroaching on and interfering with the federal government’s authority to enforce immigration laws after Governor Abbott authorized state troopers to stop vehicles carrying migrants, citing potential COVID-19 spread.