Abbott Moves Forward With Water Barriers Despite Leftist Outrage

TotalConservative.com) – Last Friday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced the beginning of the planned installation of a marine barrier to help crack down on illegal immigration from Mexico.

Abbott announced the plans to install the barrier of orange buoys on the Rio Grande last month, which is one part of the governor’s overall plans to deal with the border crisis, called Operation Lone Star. With little help from the federal government, Texas will be tackling the crisis on multiple fronts.

Some of Abbott’s moves have been controversial, such as the transportation of migrants out of Texas and into so-called “sanctuary” states and cities, such as Washington, D.C., New York City, and most recently Los Angeles. The Texas governor also set up razor wire at the border and began constructing a border wall for the state after President Joe Biden and his administration halted construction on former President Donald Trump’s unfinished project.

Friday’s announcement was the beginning of the marine barrier’s installation, which Abbot tweeted about. He said the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) “is overseeing the project in Eagle Pass” and that there will be “more to come.” The buoys are expected to be fully installed within two weeks and are designed to discourage migrants from attempting to cross the river, which is a dangerous endeavor. Underneath the buoys will be a net expanding at least 1,000 feet to prevent migrants from swimming under the buoys.

Steve McCraw, director of the DPS, said last month that getting in the water is “a risk” to migrants and that the marine barrier will be a “deterrent” to stop them from “coming in the water” at all. Environmental activists opposed to the barrier held protests against it, holding a group prayer for the Rio Grande.

Although there’s been a lull in encounters at the border, even after the end of Trump’s Title 42 policy enacted during the pandemic in May, that month saw over 200,000 encounters. Republicans continue to accuse the Biden administration of incentivizing illegal crossings.