Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who installed a floating barrier on the Rio Grande to prevent migrants from crossing Mexico, refuses to remove it and has challenged the US federal government, which on Monday filed a complaint against the state.
The Justice Department had notified Texas last week, arguing that the large orange buoys installed in the Rio Grande near Eagle Pass were obstructing the flow of the river and lacked federal authorizations.
“This floating barrier poses a risk to navigation and public safety on the Rio Grande,” warned the Department of Justice, which also noted “humanitarian concerns.”
In a letter to Democratic President Joe Biden, the Republican governor said he had “the power to protect the sovereign interests” of Texas by installing the buoys.
Greg Abbott further accused Biden of failing to meet his own responsibilities regarding illegal immigration.
“If you really value human life, you must start enforcing federal immigration laws,” the Republican stressed, in the letter addressed to Biden.
“By doing this, you can help me prevent migrants from risking their lives in the waters of the Rio Grande,” he added.
Buoys were installed in the river this month, as well as barbed wire on the bank. According to US media, the migrants were trapped in barbed wire and had to be rescued.
A Border Police document claims that barbed wire placed by state agents is interfering with their operations.
Hours after Abbott’s letter was published, the Justice Department filed a lawsuit against Texas and its governor.
The US government said Texas needed to obtain a permit before placing any structure in the Rio Grande, and asked the court to order the southern state to remove it.
“We all need to recognize that there are laws and policies in place, whether national or international, to ensure the safety of anyone working, living or traveling along the river. These laws cannot be ignored,” Austin U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza said in a statement.
Among other anti-immigration measures, Texas is also arresting immigrants on trespassing charges and sending busloads of asylum seekers to Democratic-led cities in other states.
The Joe Biden administration has maintained that illegal border crossings have dropped significantly since new immigration restrictions went into effect in May.
White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that Abbott’s policies as a whole make it difficult for US Border Patrol agents to access the river.
Source: TSF
