On Thursday, Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced the state would place a floating marine barrier along the Rio Grande to stop illegal crossings. The governor plans to float the first 1,000 feet of the barrier near Eagle Pass. The floating border is made of 4 by 4 feet buoys. “This is a new water-based barrier … we can put mile after mile after mile of these buoys … securing the border at the border,” which will “allow us… to prevent people from even getting to the border,” he stated in his address.
Many Republicans, including Governor Abbott, criticize President Biden and his administration for not acknowledging the migration issues. Over a dozen Republican officials have sent local police and National Guard members to aid Border Patrol. The buoy barrier is part of Texas’s program to protect the border. It also includes deploying National Guard members, police, and concertina wire. Last month, the Texas legislature agreed to a two-year $5.1 billion budget for border security. The first deployment will cost about $1 million, according to Steve McCraw– Texas Department of Safety Director. The deployment date is July 7th.
Eagle Pass cannot handle the number of migrants. As a result, the city’s citizens greatly appreciate Abbott’s efforts to reduce migrant crossings. Rolando Salinas Jr., the mayor, stated, “If this means less people will be crossing illegally through the heart of Eagle Pass, we support it… We want to avoid any interruption to our international bridges and our downtown businesses.” When asked about the hazardous conditions for migrants attempting to swim across, Salinas responded, “People shouldn’t be crossing there, to begin with.” Chief deputy sheriff of Maverick Country, Roberto De Leon, reported that they find one to two corpses from the river every day.
There have been mixed perspectives addressing the floating barrier. Rodolfo Rosales Jr., a state director with the Texas branch of the League of United Latin American Citizens, said, “He is using this as political theater to promote his MAGA agenda, and it’s not going to stop people from coming.” David Donatti, an attorney at the ACLU of Texas, stated, “The chain of buoys along the Rio Grande is just the latest in a chain of gifts from the state to private contractors to fuel the governor’s manufactured crisis at the border. The floating balls will not address the real and important reasons people are coming to the United States.” On the other hand, McCraw believes that the wall of buoys will deter migrants and is very difficult to get across.
Many Republicans, including Governor Abbott, criticize President Biden and his administration for not acknowledging the migration issues. Over a dozen Republican officials have sent local police and National Guard members to aid Border Patrol. The buoy barrier is part of Texas’s program to protect the border. It also includes deploying National Guard members, police, and concertina wire. Last month, the Texas legislature agreed to a two-year $5.1 billion budget for border security. The first deployment will cost about $1 million, according to Steve McCraw– Texas Department of Safety Director. The deployment date is July 7th.
Eagle Pass cannot handle the number of migrants. As a result, the city’s citizens greatly appreciate Abbott’s efforts to reduce migrant crossings. Rolando Salinas Jr., the mayor, stated, “If this means less people will be crossing illegally through the heart of Eagle Pass, we support it… We want to avoid any interruption to our international bridges and our downtown businesses.” When asked about the hazardous conditions for migrants attempting to swim across, Salinas responded, “People shouldn’t be crossing there, to begin with.” Chief deputy sheriff of Maverick Country, Roberto De Leon, reported that they find one to two corpses from the river every day.
There have been mixed perspectives addressing the floating barrier. Rodolfo Rosales Jr., a state director with the Texas branch of the League of United Latin American Citizens, said, “He is using this as political theater to promote his MAGA agenda, and it’s not going to stop people from coming.” David Donatti, an attorney at the ACLU of Texas, stated, “The chain of buoys along the Rio Grande is just the latest in a chain of gifts from the state to private contractors to fuel the governor’s manufactured crisis at the border. The floating balls will not address the real and important reasons people are coming to the United States.” On the other hand, McCraw believes that the wall of buoys will deter migrants and is very difficult to get across.
