Shortly after President Trump’s inauguration, Texas Governor Greg Abbott intensified border security by deploying floating barriers along the Rio Grande to deter illegal crossings. Abbott praised Trump’s focus on border security and expressed his commitment to work together. The buoys, part of a contentious enforcement program, have faced legal challenges, with the Biden administration citing federal law violations. Trump plans to reauthorize border wall construction and designate Mexican drug cartels as terrorist organizations. Critics argue the barriers are inhumane and ineffective, while supporters claim they are necessary for community safety. The renewed efforts signal an escalating political struggle over immigration policy.
Just hours after President Donald Trump was sworn into office, Texas stepped up its border security efforts and deployed additional floating barriers along the Rio Grande.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott shared footage of a giant buoy being installed on the Texas-Mexico border to deter illegal border crossings.
“I look forward to continuing to work closely with President Trump to secure our borders,” Abbott declared on X/Twitter, adding, “America is back!”
Floating barriers, part of Texas’ controversial border enforcement program, are at the center of legal and political battles. In 2023, the Biden administration sued Texas, saying the fence violated federal law.
A district court initially ruled in favor of the federal government, but the Fifth Circuit reversed that decision and allowed Texas to expand its use of buoys.
Gov. Abbott announced plans in November to expand fencing near Eagle Pass, a migrant border hotspot, but now that President Trump is back in the White House, the governor is doubling down on border security measures.
This comes as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents can now arrest illegal immigrants at churches and schools, White House border czar Tom Homan said Tuesday, starting President Donald Trump’s mass deportations. That’s for later.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott shared footage of a giant buoy being installed on the Texas-Mexico border
Floating barriers, part of Texas’ controversial border enforcement program, are at the center of legal and political battles
In November, Mr. Abbott announced plans to expand fencing near Eagle Pass, a crossing point for migrants.
Governor Abbott, a staunch ally of President Trump, immediately expressed support for the new administration.
Abbott shared a letter to Trump on Monday, congratulating the president on his inauguration and urging further action on the border crisis.
“Texas has fought to protect our borders in the face of federal obstruction,” Abbott wrote.
“We look forward to ending this crisis with your help.”
In a speech Monday, President Trump praised Abbott’s efforts, calling him a “strong leader” in the fight to protect America’s borders.
Upon his return to office, President Trump is expected to sign a series of executive orders aimed at cracking down on illegal immigration.
The measures include directing the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defense to resume construction of the border wall, one of the hallmark policies of Mr. Trump’s first term.
Trump has also promised to send troops to the southern border, but immigration lawyers say military personnel are not authorized to make arrests.
Critics say the buoys are inhumane and ineffective, but supporters say they are a necessary deterrent to protect Texas communities.
In 2023, the Biden administration sued Texas, saying the fence violated federal law.
“I look forward to continuing to work closely with President Trump to secure our borders,” Abbott declared on X/Twitter, adding, “America is back!”
Upon his return to office, President Trump plans to sign a series of executive orders aimed at cracking down on illegal immigration.
Additionally, the president plans to formally designate Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, which could further strengthen the fight against transnational crime.
The reinstallation of the buoys came after President Trump signed an executive order aimed at ending birthright citizenship, a move Abbott said he supports.
However, several other states called the order “unlawful.”
“What the president did yesterday was illegal, unconstitutional and unacceptable,” New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin said in an interview with NPR.
“We are a nation of immigrants. Millions of people in our state obtain citizenship through birthright citizenship,” Platkin said.
“This is the story of our state, this is the story of America, and it is enshrined in our nation. [U.S.] There is a reason for the constitution.
Reinstalling the floating barrier is likely to reignite tensions over border security.
According to CBS News, U.S. Customs and Border Protection says about 270,000 migrants are on the Mexican side of the U.S.-Mexico border in order to obtain reservations to enter the United States through a system that President Trump has vowed to abolish. I assume they are waiting.
Critics claim the buoys are inhumane and ineffective.
Supporters, however, say it’s a necessary deterrent to protect Texas communities.
Migrants cross back and forth between the United States and Mexico on the Rio Grande in Ciudad Acuña, Mexico, September 16, 2021.
The billboard (pictured right) asks undocumented immigrants the shocking question in multiple languages: “How much did you pay to have your daughter raped?”
Another warned that immigrants would be arrested if they entered Texas illegally. In addition to Spanish, signs are also produced in Russian, Chinese, and Arabic.
Lone Star State launches intuitive billboard campaign in Mexico and Central America to deter illegal immigration by highlighting sexual assault and other risks
The Biden administration had opposed its use, arguing that the buoys posed environmental risks and violated international treaties with Mexico.
But Mr Abbott dismissed those concerns, insisting that the barrier is essential to combating what he has repeatedly called a “border crisis”.
With President Trump now in control in Washington, Mr. Abbott appears to be emboldened in his efforts to expand the program.
As the new administration takes hold, fights over immigration and border security will once again dominate the political scene.
The stage is set for another heated debate over the future of the United States’ southern border, as Texas presses forward with controversial measures and President Trump vows to take bold action.
