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The Biden administration has initiated a lawsuit against the state of Texas due to its aggressive approach in monitoring the US southern border, escalating tensions in the ongoing political dispute over migration.
In a complaint filed on Monday, the US Department of Justice accused Texas of installing a floating barricade across the Rio Grande river without obtaining the necessary federal authorizations.
“We allege that Texas has violated federal law by installing a barrier in the Rio Grande without the required federal authorization,” stated Vanita Gupta, Associate US Attorney General.
This case represents the most significant action taken by the Democratic administration regarding the border issue. It comes as Texas Governor Greg Abbott intensifies his controversial crackdown on migrants attempting to enter the state, known as “Operation Lone Star,” resulting in the detention of nearly 400,000 migrants since March 2021.
A large number of these migrants have been transported to predominantly Democratic cities on the east and west coasts of America, leading critics to brand the operation as mere political theatre.
Construction of the new floating barrier, consisting of a series of interconnected orange buoys, began earlier this month near the city of Eagle Pass.
In the federal lawsuit filed on Monday in an Austin court, the Department of Justice claimed that it was not given the opportunity to assess potential risks to public safety and the environment, mitigate those risks, and determine whether the project served the public interest.
The Department of Justice is seeking various forms of relief, including the removal of the floating barrier, a prohibition on further construction, and the reimbursement of government costs and expenses.
In a letter sent to President Joe Biden on Monday prior to the Department of Justice’s filing, Governor Abbott asserted Texas’s sovereign interest in border protection and dismissed the case against the state as a peripheral issue.
“If you genuinely care about human life, you must enforce federal immigration laws,” Governor Abbott wrote. “Texas will see you in court, Mr. President.”
With a record number of people moving across the Americas, the crisis at the southern US border has become a major headache for the Biden administration and a focal point of the culture war.
In May, the issue returned to the spotlight with the expiration of Title 42, a policy implemented during the coronavirus pandemic that allowed US border agents to swiftly return migrants to Mexico without processing their asylum cases.
Karine Jean-Pierre, White House Press Secretary, condemned Governor Abbott’s “dangerous” and “unlawful” actions, which she claimed were undermining the administration’s border security efforts.
“The governor’s actions are impeding our ability to access the river, patrol the area, and apprehend individuals attempting to unlawfully enter the country,” Jean-Pierre stated. “Governor Abbott is the one sowing chaos through political stunts in an inhumane manner.”
Liz Sherwood-Randall, US Homeland Security Advisor, is leading a delegation to Mexico City this week to engage in discussions with Mexican and Canadian officials, including addressing the regional migration challenge, according to a White House official.
A Biden administration official highlighted that since the lifting of Title 42, unlawful border crossings have reached their lowest levels in over two years. The official also noted that more than 24,000 agents and officers are working to secure the border.
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