Texas Reinforces Razor Wire Fencing After SCOTUS Grants Feds Authority to Cut Through It
Texas is deliberately thwarting the federal government’s efforts to remove razor-wire barriers along the southern border in an attempt to defend U.S. sovereignty and deter illegal border crossings.
Texas initially sued the federal government after federal agencies began destructing razor wire fencing installed by the state to deter illegal entry into Texas. After a judge ruled that the federal agency had the jurisdiction to remove parts of the fencing, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton appealed the decision. A federal appeals court then granted Texas’ request to temporarily prevent federal agencies from removing the razor wire fencing while litigation on the jurisdiction and enforcement proceeded through the court.
In response, the Department of Homeland Security filed a petition requesting that the U.S. Supreme Court to vacate the lower court’s injunction, which it did in a 5-4 decision on Monday, effectively granting U.S. Border Patrol agents the authority to continue its removal of razor wire barriers while litigation in the federal appeals court continues.
Immediately following the decision, Texas authorities continued to construct new barriers, complicating the federal government’s efforts to cut through and remove the fencing.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott said that the state would “continue to deploy this razor wire to repel illegal immigration,” in a post on X. “Texas’ razor wire is an effective deterrent against the illegal border crossings,” the governor said. “This is not over,” he added in a separate post.
Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Lt. Chris Olivarez said that “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,” in a statement shared to X on Monday.
“The logical concern should be why the Federal Government continues to hinder Texas’ ability to protect its border, all while allowing for the exploitation, dangerous, & inhumane methods of permitting illegal immigrants, including children, to illegally cross a dangerous river where many have lost their lives. Texas is the only state using every strategy & resource to protect its sovereignty, combat criminal activity, & discourage illegal immigration. #Texas will continue to hold the line,” Olivarez concluded.
Millions of illegal immigrants have entered the U.S. through the southern border throughout the last three years, placing unprecedented strain on municipalities and resources around the country.
Thomas Homan, Retired Acting Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), said that the open U.S.-Mexico border has “resulted in a national security, humanitarian, public health, and public safety catastrophe unlike any we have ever witnessed at America’s borders.”
