US Federal Judge to Decide Future of Texas’ Border Buoys

Improve the News Foundation -

Facts

  • US District Judge David Ezra was scheduled Tuesday to consider the Dept. of Justice's (DOJ) lawsuit against the state of Texas over the floating barrier the state has established at the US-Mexico border.1
  • The buoys — which are the size of wrecking balls — were installed in July on the Rio Grande River, and the Biden administration is seeking their removal.1
  • This case could hinge on the interpretation of part of the federal Rivers and Harbors Appropriation Act, which requires a federal permit to build structures in US waters that are “navigable.”2
  • The DOJ says Texas did not seek a permit or seek approval from the Army Corps of Engineers before installing the barrier. However, Texas says such steps are unnecessary because the waters aren’t navigable.2
  • This case is one of several legal challenges to Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s Operation Lone Star, which is an attempt by the state to secure the border.3
  • Texas also recently had to reposition the barrier, which Mexican officials said had been installed on their side of the river.4

Sources: 1Associated Press, 2Roll Call, 3FOX News, and 4Democracy Now.

Narratives

  • Democratic narrative, as provided by MSNBC. These cruel and dangerous buoys are just the latest part of Abbott’s illegal attempt to localize dangerous approaches to immigration law enforcement. Neither Abbott nor any Republicans seem to care about the humanitarian crises the buoys and other tactics are causing, and they’re accompanying anti-immigrant rhetoric is stoking the flames of white supremacy and putting the country at risk.
  • Republican narrative, as provided by PJ Media. If the current administration won't protect the southern border, then Texas is well within its rights to do whatever it takes to keep it and the country safe. If Democrats are so worried about an alleged humanitarian crisis, they should discourage migrants from attempting the dangerous journey to the US from wherever they’re from. Woke, leftist immigration policies are the real danger for America — not attempts to bolster barriers to illegal entry.