The Texas government announced a major reinforcement of the barrier that floats on the waters of the Rio Grande and extended the barbed wire network in the Eagle Pass corridor as a way to deter the crossing of migrants from Mexico, reported Governor Greg Abbott .
The measure was implemented in search of a significant reduction in border crossings before President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House.
This month it was reported that Trump will mobilize agencies across the US government to help him deport a record number of migrants, building on his first term’s efforts to take advantage of all available resources.
The buoys were placed near Bridge 1, an area that divides Piedras Negras, Coahuila, from Eagle Pass, one of the places where a very high migratory flow is recorded. The action is part of the operation Lone Star, promoted by Abbott since March 2021 to “respond to the increase in irregular migration.”
According to data presented by the governor’s office, irregular crossings into Texas decreased by 86 percent since said operation was implemented. These actions have led to more than 526 thousand arrests of irregular migrants and more than 41 thousand charges for serious crimes.
The conservative governor assured through a publication on his account that “despite the Biden administration’s efforts to eliminate these floating barriers, Texas kept them in the river,” and reaffirmed his intentions to continue the expansion.
President Joe Biden sued Texas to eliminate the floating wall, which began to be deployed in 2023, because it was carried out without federal authorization, in addition to representing humanitarian and environmental concerns, but in July of that same year, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the barrier could remain afloat.
Abbott also highlighted that the migrant transportation program implemented by Texas reduced the number of crossings into the state and, therefore, the number of people sent to sanctuary cities. “Fewer illegal crossings mean fewer migrants to transport,” he concluded.
With information from Reuters
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