BROWNSVILLE, Texas — In a 5-4 vote, the Supreme Court sided with the Biden administration Monday allowing Border Patrol to cut razor wire along the Rio Grande River, placed by the Texas Department of Public Safety as part of Operation Lone Star.
Governor Greg Abbott is insisting that Texas is holding the line while the federal government ignores the crisis.
Department of Public Safety, Lt. Chris Olivarez stated on a social media post that:
“Operation Lone Star will maintain its current posture in deterring illegal border crossings by utilizing effective security measures – reinforced concertina wire & anti-climb barrier along the Rio Grande.”
The on-going legal battle between the state and the federal government poses several questions on who really has the final say on an international boundary.
The Supreme court ruling surprised immigration attorneys like Hugo Pina.
“To me it’s very clear cut," Pina said. "Texas shouldn't be doing things like that because the federal government is the one that has the authority to do those things especially on the border and especially in the river that to me is very surprising and a little bit scary to be honest."
North Carolina resident Tina Memefee, who visited the borderland for the very first time said immigration is essential for labor shortages across the country.
Memefee added that Congress needs to pass immigration reform.
“We need to get them a way to get in here safely. We need to put that in a high priority it should have already been but we need to do something. Figure out a way to screen them or something have them pay taxes help them out and let them go - that is how we all got here – except for the Indians,” Memefee said.
Oral arguments are set to begin on Feb. 7, at the fifth circuit court of appeals.
There is no set deadline on when Border Patrol will remove the wire along the Texas/Mexico Border.
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