Justice Department to sue Texas Gov. Abbott over razor wire, floating barrier along US border

Michael Collins and Bart Jansen, USA TODAY
·2 min read
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WASHINGTON – The Justice Department has put Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on notice that it intends to file suit over a floating barrier wall he erected in the Rio Grande River to keep migrants from crossing the border illegally.

“The State of Texas’s actions violate federal law, raise humanitarian concerns, present serious risks to public safety and the environment, and may interfere with the federal government’s ability to carry out its official duties,” the department wrote in a letter to Abbott on Thursday.

The letter, a copy of which was obtained by USA TODAY, gives Texas officials until Monday to commit to removing the barrier. If there is no response, the Justice Department will pursue legal action, the letter warns.

Abbott fired back Friday, writing on Twitter that Texas has "sovereign authority" to defend its border. The humanitarian crisis at the border was created because of Biden's refusal to secure the border and by his policies that encourage migrants to risk their lives by crossing illegally through the Rio Grande, Abbott said.

"We will continue to deploy every strategy to protect Texans and Americans – and the migrants risking their lives," he wrote. "We will see you in court, Mr. President."

Migrants breach a section of concertina wire after crossing the Rio Grande River on July 20, 2023, from Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico into Eagle Pass, Texas hoping to seek asylum in the U.S.
Migrants breach a section of concertina wire after crossing the Rio Grande River on July 20, 2023, from Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico into Eagle Pass, Texas hoping to seek asylum in the U.S.

The threat of legal action comes amid reports of inhumane treatment of migrants along the U.S. border with Mexico. Some migrants trying to cross the border have reportedly been left bloody from razor-wire barriers installed at Abbott’s instructions. State troopers also reportedly were ordered to deny migrants water in sweltering heat and instructed to push them back into the river.

Meanwhile, Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, and dozens of congressional Democrats called on the Biden administration Friday to assert is authority over federal immigration policy and foreign relations to investigate Abbott’s border operation, known as Operation Lone Star, and pursue legal action to stop it.

July 11, 2023: Workers assemble large buoys to be used as a border barrier along the banks of the Rio Grande in Eagle Pass , Texas. The floating barrier is being deployed in an effort to block migrants from entering Texas from Mexico.
July 11, 2023: Workers assemble large buoys to be used as a border barrier along the banks of the Rio Grande in Eagle Pass , Texas. The floating barrier is being deployed in an effort to block migrants from entering Texas from Mexico.

“Operation Lone Star’s programs and policies, specifically the recent erection of razor wire or buoy walls, pose a huge danger to migrants and impede the ability of our border patrol offices to safely and humanely treat migrants as well as to comply with relevant federal and international laws,” the lawmakers said in a letter to Biden.

The letter, signed by 86 House Democrats, urges Biden to “stop this horrific abuse of power.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Texas' floating border wall sparks lawsuit from Biden's Justice Dept.