In the wake of a Supreme Court decision favoring the Biden administration, Texas Governor Greg Abbott is pledging to continue his efforts to protect his state’s southern border. The Supreme Court’s 5-4 ruling on Monday permitted federal officials to cut through a razor wire barrier Texas had erected along about 30 miles of its border, a move that Abbott argues is an effective deterrent against illegal crossings.
The dispute arose after the U.S. Border Patrol began cutting through the razor wire to allow migrants to enter the country. Texas responded with a lawsuit accusing the Biden administration of damaging state property and trespassing. However, the Supreme Court sided with the federal government’s emergency request, arguing that the barrier obstructed their ability to reach immigrants who had already crossed the border.
Abbott was resolute in his response to the ruling. “This is not over,” he stated. “Texas’ razor wire is an effective deterrent to the illegal crossings Biden encourages. I will continue to defend Texas’ constitutional authority to secure the border and prevent the Biden Admin from destroying our property.”
This is not over.
Texas' razor wire is an effective deterrent to the illegal crossings Biden encourages.
I will continue to defend Texas' constitutional authority to secure the border and prevent the Biden Admin from destroying our property.https://t.co/pV7Cuq57d1
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) January 22, 2024
The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) spokesperson Chris Olivarez echoed Abbott’s sentiments, adding that the state would maintain its current strategy under Operation Lone Star. This includes the use of “reinforced concertina wire & anti-climb barriers” along the Rio Grande to deter illegal crossings. He also questioned why the federal government continues to obstruct Texas’ efforts to protect its border.
The State of Texas, under Gov. @GregAbbott_TX’s Operation Lone Star, will maintain its current posture in deterring illegal border crossings by utilizing effective border security measures – reinforced concertina wire & anti-climb barriers along the Rio Grande. The logical… https://t.co/p6l4KluzCe
— Chris Olivarez (@LtChrisOlivarez) January 23, 2024
While the Supreme Court’s decision allows Border Patrol agents to cut through the concertina wire, the broader legal battle continues. The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals is set to hear oral arguments on February 7.
The issue of border security has been a contentious one since President Joe Biden took office three years ago. Since then, Customs and Border Protection has encountered around eight million migrants, and more than 2.3 million have been released into the country.
