Texas Gov. Abbott reveals plan to expand floating barrier in Rio Grande

On Tuesday, Aug. 27, Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott revealed plans to expand buoy barriers in the Rio Grande River at one of the busiest hotspots for illegal crossings along the U.S.-Mexico border. Abbott said he is still awaiting a final court decision before adding to the 1,000-foot barrier of linked buoys anchored in concrete between Eagle Pass, Texas and Negras, Mexico. However, he said he expects to install more in the next couple of months.

“The Fifth Circuit Federal Court of Appeals just ruled that Texas is fully allowed, legally, to use those buoys in the river,” Abbot told NewsNation. “Those buoys cost 1/10th of the cost of the border wall, and so, you can expect to see an increase of the buoys in the Rio Grande River.”

The announcement came as Abbott and the White House battle over Texas’ immigration policy in court. The Biden administration sued Texas over the buoys. The administration argued the buoys violate the Rivers and Harbors Act because the state did not get a permit to construct the barrier from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

A federal appeals court recently ruled in Texas’ favor allowing the barriers to stay, which overturned a panel court’s decision that they must be removed. The latest ruling allows the state to maintain the buoys as a lower court considers the case against them.

The barriers are part of Abbott’s Operation Lonestar, which he credited for falling border crossing numbers. Abbott claimed unlawful crossings were already down before President Joe Biden issued an executive order in June to curb illegal immigration.

“That was after Texas had begun our accelerated operations to deny illegal entries, using the guard, using razor wire, using the pepper ball, and so it was the robust comprehensive approach by Texas that actually led to the decline, Biden just happened to come in and step, and road on our coattails,” Abbot said.

While Abbott calls his policies effective, they have also sparked outrage.

In August 2023, two bodies were reportedly found in the Rio Grande River near Eagle Pass, where Texas installed the floating barriers. One body was found stuck on the buoys, but authorities believe the person drowned upstream and floated into the buoys.

Texas also installed razor wire along the border to prevent unlawful crossings. Migrants have reportedly gotten stuck in and slashed by the wire as they attempted to climb the fence. An internal email from a Texas state trooper warned the state’s efforts were becoming inhumane.

The buoys and the wire led to Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, condemning Abbot for his ordered actions.

“The Texas governor is knowingly trying to injure, maim and kill migrants in the United States with razor wire and drowning devices,” Castro said.

Meanwhile, the White House called Abbott’s barriers “dangerous.”