UNFORTUNATELY, BIDEN WIL PROBABLY WIN IN COURT

The Biden administration sues Texas Gov. Greg Abbott over 'dangerous' border barriers in the Rio Grande River: 'See you in court, Mr. President' the Republican governor replies

Under Operation Lone Star, Texas has deployed thousands of National Guard troops to the border and installed a floating barrier in the Rio Grande River

 

By Rob Crilly 

Daily Mail

July 24, 2023

The Biden administration on Monday sued Texas over floating barriers placed in the Rio Grande River as part of an emergency effort to prevent migrants crossing into Mexico.

An administration official accused Gov. Greg Abbott of playing dangerous 'political games' with the lives of people trying to reach safety.

Abbott appeared to relish the action, saying in a statement just before the Department of Justice made its move: 'Texas will see you in court, Mr. President.'

He had large plastic buoys installed in the river earlier this month near the city of Eagle Pass, amid a series of measures designed to deter people from crossing.

The Biden administration says he had no right to take such action.   

'We allege that Texas has flouted federal law by installing a barrier in the Rio Grande without obtaining the required federal authorization,' said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. 

'This floating barrier poses threats to navigation and public safety and presents humanitarian concerns.'

At the same time, she said, it had triggered diplomatic protests by Mexico. 

White House spokesman Abdullah Hasan said administration efforts had already reduced the number of illegal crossings this year.

'Governor Abbott's dangerous and unlawful actions are undermining that effective plan, making it hard for the men and women of Border Patrol to do their jobs of securing the border, and putting migrants and border agents in danger,' he said.

Under Operation Lone Star, Texas has deployed thousands of National Guard troops to the border and bussed migrants to Democrat-led cities far from the border.

But an administration official said that with the lifting of Title 42 earlier this year, crossings had already fallen to their lowest levels in two years.

'Republican officials have no plan and are just playing political games,' he said, accusing them of spending four years of the Trump administration destroying the immigration system, and 'ripping babies out of their mothers' arms.'

 

Just before the Department of Justice filed its complaint, Gov Abbott sent a letter to Biden claiming he did have authority. 'Texas will see you in court, Mr. President,' he said

Concertina wire lines the banks of the Rio Grande on the Pecan farm of Hugo and Magali Urbina, near Eagle Pass, Texas

 

He added: 'Republican officials don’t want solutions; they want chaos.'

For his part, Abbott got in his response with a pre-emptive letter to Biden insisting that he had constitutional authority to solve a crisis of his making.

'If you truly care about human life, you must begin enforcing federal immigration laws,' reads the letter. 

'By doing so, you can help me stop migrants from wagering their lives in the waters of the Rio Grande River. 

'You can also help me save Texans, and indeed all Americans, from deadly drugs like fentanyl, cartel violence, and the horrors of human trafficking. To end the risk that migrants will be harmed crossing the border illegally, you must fully enforce the laws of the United States that prohibit illegal immigration between ports of entry.'

Last year the administration sued Arizona after Gov. Doug Ducey used containers to fill gaps and extend President Donald Trump's border wall.

The containers were removed.