Texas ordered to remove floating barrier meant to block migrants

A United States judge ruled on Wednesday that Texas state in the South Central region must move a large floating barrier that was placed in the middle of the Rio Grande, one of the principal rivers in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, to block migrants from crossing the border.

Gregory Wayne Abbott, the 48th governor of Texas, ordered the authorities to place a large floating barrier on the river Rio Grande between the U.S. and Mexico this summer in order to block migrants from crossing the US-Mexico border.

On Wednesday, Senior U.S. District Judge David A. Ezra ordered Texas to move the floating buoys from the Rio Grande to an embankment on the Texas side of the river. The judge also issued a preliminary injunction in Austin that required Texas to move the barrier out of the water by 15 September. 

U.S. District Judge David Ezra also said that Texas produced no “evidence that the buoy barrier as installed has significantly curtailed illegal immigration.”

Texas slammed for illegally placing floating buoy barrier

The floating barrier installed in mid July drew sharp criticism from Mexico. Mexico said that the move violated water and boundary treaties. The United States Department of Justice also slammed Gregory Wayne Abbott over the installation of buoys. The Justice Department said that Texas had no jurisdiction over the river. 

Keep Reading

The recent lawsuit against Texas was brought by the US Justice Department in July. Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta representing the US Justice Department said, “We allege that Texas has flouted federal law by installing a barrier in the Rio Grande without obtaining the required federal authorization.”

The residents and business owners in Eagle Pass, a city in Texas, also sued the state over buoy installation in Rio Grande. The Justice Department also slammed Texas’ border policies.

Texas arrests migrants

In recent months, Texas has arrested various migrants crossing the Rio Grande on trespassing charges. Under Operation Lone Star, Texas transferred the migrants into a jail for weeks or months before turning them over to the Border Patrol.

Meanwhile, the Biden administration said that illegal border crossings by migrants decreased following the new immigration rules in May. 

About Senior Reporter

With over more than 6 years of writing obituaries for the local paper, Senior Reporter has a uniquely strong voice that shines through in his newest collection of essays and articles, which explores the importance we place on the legacy.

Senior Reporter

With over more than 6 years of writing obituaries for the local paper, Senior Reporter has a uniquely strong voice that shines through in his newest collection of essays and articles, which explores the importance we place on the legacy.

Recent Posts

Migrant Workers Returning from UAE With Kidney Failure Due to Extreme Temperatures

Over the last few years, newspapers have reported that migrant workers in the UAE and other Gulf countries have come…

December 4, 2025

Philippines OFWs in Israel: Relocation & Trauma Support After 2025 Border Tensions

Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in Israel have once again found themselves on the frontlines of conflict, caught between their livelihoods…

December 4, 2025

Tea Garden Workers Get Land Rights — How Land Ownership Could Change Labour Justice in Rural India

Decades after decades, tea garden laborers in India have worked and lived in the farms without owning the land the…

December 4, 2025

U.S. Executive Order Against the Muslim Brotherhood Framed as a Global Security Imperative

There has also been a concerted global push on the side of the recent U.S. Executive Order against the Muslim…

December 4, 2025

Why the UN Migration Committee’s 2025 Recommendations Could Transform Migrant-Worker Rights Worldwide

The 2025 recommendations of the UN Migration Committee represent a change in the way governments are being encouraged to treat…

December 4, 2025

From Brick Kilns to Tech Startups: India’s Contract Workers Need Fair Legal Protection

The economic growth of India has been supported by a labor force that is rather silent and unguarded. Millions of…

December 3, 2025

This website uses cookies.

Read More