Judge bars US border agents from cutting, removing razor wire Texas installed

Oct 31, 2023

Lauren Taylor Anchor

By Lauren Taylor (Anchor), William Jackson (Producer), Zachary Hill (Video Editor)

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Texas is taking the federal government to court over border protection. A significant development occurred on Monday, Oct. 30, when a federal judge issued an order preventing U.S. Border Patrol agents from removing or cutting the razor wire installed by the state along the border.

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This order comes in response to Texas’ lawsuit against the Biden administration over the removal of the razor wire in Eagle Pass, a location where numerous migrants have crossed the border, putting a strain on available resources.

Federal judge orders Biden Admin to stop cutting razor wire along Texas-Mexico border.

Another win for Texas & our historic border mission.

Biden created this crisis & has tried to block us at every turn.

Attorney General Paxton & I are pushing back.https://t.co/b0xhFaSCqJ
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) October 30, 2023

Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican from Texas, celebrated the ruling on social media, posting: “Another win for Texas and our historic border mission.”

The temporary order is set to expire on Nov. 13, and it applies specifically to the razor wire installed in Eagle Pass. Texas National Guard members have also erected wire barriers at other high-traffic sections, including Brownsville and El Paso. The order also permits the barrier’s removal for emergency medical assistance to migrants.

Migrants cross the Eagle Pass International Bridge from Mexico to the U.S., a legal point of entry above a point where many migrants wade across the Rio Grande, for their scheduled appointments with immigration authorities, in Eagle Pass, Texas, U.S., September 28, 2023. Under a new rule put in place by the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden, migrants who have not sought an appointment to cross at a legal port of entry on a government-run cell phone app known as CBP One can face a higher bar to asylum and potentially swift deportation. REUTERS/Brian Snyder — Source: Reuters.

These barriers are part of Texas’ Operation Lone Star.

In fiscal year 2023, Texas Border Patrol agents encountered over 1.2 million migrants entering the state illegally. The state argues that the federal government’s actions, particularly the removal of razor wire along the border, weaken the state’s border security efforts.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton stated: “The federal government’s outrageous escalation in response to our lawsuit demonstrates Biden’s disturbing contempt for the State of Texas, for the citizens of the United States, and for our country’s entire foundation of the rule of law.”

The lawsuit underscores a significant concern: Despite ongoing security measures, thousands of migrants have succeeded in entering the country illegally in the Eagle Pass region.

This legal action emphasizes the state’s position that the removal of razor wire is counterproductive to its efforts to control unauthorized border crossings. A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson confirmed the agency’s intention to comply with the court’s order.

Tags: Border, Border patrol, Eagle Pass, Greg Abbott, Immigration, Joe Biden, Ken Paxton, Operation Lone Star, Texas, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S.-Mexico Border

TEXAS HAS BEEN LOCKED IN AN ONGOING CONFRONTATION WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OVER BORDER PROTECTION. MONDAY SAW ANOTHER DEVELOPMENT WHEN A FEDERAL JUDGE BARRED U-S BORDER PATROL AGENTS FROM CUTTING OR REMOVING RAZOR WIRE THE STATE INSTALLED ALONG THE BORDER.

THE ORDER COMES AFTER TEXAS SUED THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OVER THE WIRE’S REMOVAL IN EAGLE PASS, WHERE MANY MIGRANTS CROSSED THE BORDER, STRAINING RESOURCES.

Gov. Greg Abbott | (R) Texas

GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT CELEBRATED THE RULING ON SOCIAL MEDIA, STATING “ANOTHER WIN FOR TEXAS AND OUR HISTORIC BORDER MISSION.”

THE TEMPORARY ORDER EXPIRES NOVEMBER 13TH AND MENTIONS ONLY RAZOR WIRE INSTALLED IN EAGLE PASS. TEXAS NATIONAL GUARD MEMBERS HAVE ALSO INSTALLED WIRE BARRIERS AT OTHER HIGH-TRAFFIC SECTIONS, INCLUDING BROWNSVILLE AND EL PASO.

THE ORDER ALSO ALLOWS FOR THE BARRIER TO BE CUT TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY MEDICAL AID FOR MIGRANTS.

THE BARRIERS ARE PART OF TEXAS’ OPERATION LONE STAR. IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2023, TEXAS BORDER PATROL AGENTS ENCOUNTERED OVER 1-POINT-2 MILLION MIGRANTS ENTERING THE STATE ILLEGALLY.

THE STATE ARGUES THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT’S ACTIONS – SPECIFICALLY THE REMOVAL OF RAZOR WIRE ALONG THE BORDER – WEAKEN THE STATE’S BORDER SECURITY EFFORTS.

IN A STATEMENT ATTORNEY GENERAL KEN PAXTON SAID QUOTE:

Attorney General Ken Paxton | (R) Texas

“The federal government’s outrageous escalation in response to our lawsuit demonstrates Biden’s disturbing contempt for the State of Texas, for the citizens of the United States, and for our country’s entire foundation of the rule of law.”

THE LAWSUIT EMPHASIZES A SIGNIFICANT CONCERN: DESPITE ONGOING SECURITY MEASURES, THOUSANDS OF MIGRANTS HAVE SUCCEEDED IN ENTERING THE COUNTRY ILLEGALLY IN THE EAGLE PASS REGION.

THIS LEGAL ACTION UNDERSCORES THE STATE’S POSITION THAT THE REMOVAL OF RAZOR WIRE IS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE TO THEIR EFFORTS TO CONTROL UNAUTHORIZED BORDER CROSSINGS. A DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY SPOKESPERSON CONFIRMED THAT THEY WILL COMPLY WITH THE ORDER.