Texas Governor Greg Abbott received a letter from the Justice Department threatening to sue the state over new immigrant-deterrence measures in the Rio Grande river.
The letter, issued by Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim and U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza, was obtained by NBC News.
“We write to inform you … that the United States intends to file legal action in relation to the State of Texas’s unlawful construction of a floating barrier in the Rio Grande River,” it reads.
The letter claims the buoys violation the Rivers and Harbors Act, endanger public safety, and could interfere with the federal government’s official duties in the area.
It gives the state until 2:00pm Monday to provide a response indicating it would “expeditiously remove” the buoy barrier.
Texas began constructing the buoys this month as part of Abbott’s Operation Lone Star, the governors $4 billion effort to control immigration at the southern border since the Biden administration has taken a lax approach.
The effort also includes busing immigrants to Democrat-led cities which claim to be sanctuary cities, yet some have called for the flow of immigrants to stop citing a lack of resources.
The Justice Department claimed the buoys could increase drowning, saying they obstruct the “navigable capacity” of the river and pose “humanitarian concerns”.
Abbott Responds
In a tweet issued shortly after the letter was made public, Abbott asserted that Texas has the “sovereign authority” to defend its border.
“We will continue to deploy every strategy to protect Texans and Americans — and the migrants risking their lives,” Abbott wrote. “See you in court, Mr. President.”
Abbott announced the buoy plan in June, calling them another measure to deter illegal border crossing.
“We can put mile after mile after mile of these buoys,” he said. “What we’re doing right now is we’re securing the border at the border. What the buoys will allow us to do is to prevent people from even getting to the border.”
Abbott also said the buoys are much cheaper to install than land-based barriers and they can also be moved in the future as immigration patterns shift.
Would be sweet if the Hon Gov Abbotts (R. Tx.) Buoys had little exploding devices when an approaching illegal criminal was detected.
Machine guns are better, just don’t shoot anyone in the back (headed south).
OOH! That’s harsh! 🙂
The entire country is behind you, Governor Abbott. I guess I should say the Americans in this country. Keep up the good fight! You are protecting all of the country from drugs and illegal immigrants.
at a buoy Gov Abbott. Now, why not put alligators in the water (fake ones of course) so as to make any that get over the buoys jump back over the barrier? Did you hear this one? Why didn’t Mexico send any participants to the summer olympics? Because all the Mexicans that can jump, run, and swim are in the U.S.
THANK YOU GOVERNOR ABBOTT YOUR THE BEST.. KEEPNTHE CRIMINALS OUT OF USA. WE HAVE ENOUGHOF OUR OWN.
thank you GOV. ABBOTT…….
keep up the good work……I’m with you 1000%……
The United States government cannot sue the state of Texas for doing what the United States government should be doing. Keeping out illegal immigrants.
Wow, what a smart idea. I wish someone would have come up with way back when. For the Texas border, it is perfect as the Rio Grand has been a natural border for almost 200 years. Perhaps if this techinque would have come on the scene earlier, we might have saved a lot of time and money building the rest of the wall. But, hindsight is 20/20. And besides, even if we had completed the entire wall before “shit for brains” walked in the White House, then, he would have just ordered it destroyed instead of just stopping operations. But here we go again in a head to head.
Good luck Washington. If you think you can intimidate Texas with your corrupt justice system, bring it on!!!
Bravo, Governor Abbott! Wish all governors and elected leaders had your backbone.
Read the law. He may do what he wishes on land within the guidelines set by the state. Doing so on navigable waterways is not within his purview!
Go for it Abbott, all true Americans are behind you!
Way past time to SHUTDOWN Biden and his worthless
administration!