A federal judge in Texas has issued a temporary block on the Biden administration’s efforts to remove the razor wire along the U.S.-Mexico border. The wire was initially placed by the Texas Governor, Greg Abbott, as a measure to prevent illegal migrants from entering the country.
The U.S. Border Patrol has argued that there are instances where they need to cut the wire in order to save lives, particularly when migrants are at risk of dehydration or drowning. In September, Border Patrol agents in Eagle Pass, Texas, started regularly cutting through layers of razor wire as the area became the center of a migrant surge.
Texas filed a lawsuit to halt the wire cutting by Border Patrol agents, and U.S. District Court Judge Alia Moses ruled that the wire is considered “property” of Texas. However, this restraining order is temporary and will only be in effect until November 13 to allow both sides to present their arguments in court.
In her opinion, Judge Moses stated that she will need to carefully consider various factors, including the property rights of individuals who consented to have the wire placed on their land, Texas’ right to assist property owners, and the Biden administration’s responsibilities in terms of national and border security.
During the temporary order, Border Patrol will be prohibited from removing the wire, except for cases involving emergency medical assistance.
In July, a whistleblower within the Texas government alleged that state agents were instructed to push migrant children into the Rio Grande and deny water to distressed and dehydrated migrants. Governor Abbott’s administration has clashed with the Biden administration on multiple occasions regarding measures implemented by the state to deter border crossings.
Earlier this summer, Governor Abbott deployed border buoys in the Rio Grande, which the Biden administration argued posed a significant threat to migrants’ lives and violated international treaties concerning shared rivers between the U.S. and Mexico. In September, another Texas judge ordered the removal of these buoys.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com.
