Following a divided Supreme Court ruling on Monday, Texas Governor Greg Abbott has stated that “this is not over,” and has vowed to continue efforts to prevent migrants from entering the U.S. illegally.
The ruling saw the court’s conservative Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett side with the three liberal justices in favor of the Biden administration, enabling federal agents to remove razor wire that Texas had installed along a stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border.
The razor wire was placed near the border city of Eagle Pass and was among several measures taken by Abbott to try to stop migrants from crossing the border illegally. The Biden administration contested that the wire was hindering Border Patrol agents’ access to migrants as they crossed the river, and that federal immigration law overruled Texas’s efforts to halt the flow of migrants.
The Supreme Court’s 5-4 ruling now allows Border Patrol agents to cut the razor wire that had been installed on the banks of the Rio Grande, while legal action regarding the wire continues. This follows last month’s federal appeals court verdict that forced federal agents to cease cutting the wire.
Following the ruling, Abbott reiterated his commitment to securing the border, stating his intent to carry on fighting in court and exploring other means to keep the border secure. The governor’s focus on the border has seen him send National Guard troops, deliver extra law enforcement resources, and construct barriers and fencing along the border in recent months.
Despite the measures taken by Abbott, unauthorized border crossings have continued to increase this year, with over 1.7 million detentions at the southern border in the 2021 fiscal year. The surge in migration has placed pressure on border agents, facilities, and local communities, with many advocates calling for a more comprehensive approach to managing the complex issues surrounding the border.
