Justice Department to sue Texas Gov. Abbott over razor wire, floating barrier along US border, reports say
USA TodayJul 31, 2023
The Facts
The Dept. of Justice (DOJ) filed a lawsuit against the state of Texas on Monday over its use of floating barriers in the Rio Grande. The barriers are reportedly being used to deter migrants from crossing into the state from Mexico.
The lawsuit, filed in the Western District of the Texas US District Court, requests the judge compel the state to remove the structure at its own expense, on the grounds that it was built in US water without permission from the US Army Corps of Engineers.
The Spin
Democratic narrative
Texas and other red states are employing extreme tactics against undocumented migrants trying to cross the border but they aren't allowed to violate federal law, as Abbott did by building this floating barrier. Such measures are challenging the legal limits on states' ability to infringe on federal authority over immigration and creating a dangerous split within the US reminiscent of the pre-Civil War era.
Republican narrative
It's outrageous that the Biden admin., which has failed to address the tragic humanitarian crisis on the border, is attempting to reverse lawful efforts to secure the southern border. Under the US Constitution, Texas has the sovereign authority to take action, meaning it can deploy every strategy to protect Texans, Americans, and migrants who are risking their own lives.
