Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced that the Texas Department of Public Safety has begun the installation of buoy border barriers across the Rio Grande River, starting in Eagle Pass.
New marine barrier installation on the Rio Grande begins today.
Texas DPS is overseeing the project in Eagle Pass.
More to come. pic.twitter.com/nHrTqUG7Fi
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) July 7, 2023
When Abbott announced the projected installation on Friday, he said it is intended to “deter illegal border crossings between ports of entry.”
Chris Russo, president of Texans for Strong Borders, previously told Texas Scorecard, “Ultimately, static barriers alone will not solve the problem of crossings between ports of entry.” He suggested that “if Governor Abbott deploys state personnel to directly repel crossings in addition to this, it could prove an effective solution.”
As the Texas DPS began the process of installing the buoys and deterring incursions, the Maverick County Democrat Party protested the installation.
One attorney present, Ricardo de Anda, claimed the buoys would change the trajectory of the river and Eagle Pass would become part of Mexico. Another person, a college student, protested with poetry, saying, “The river shelters immigrants’ hopes and dreams, that river has a stream that mixes cultures, colors, and peoples.”
Notably, multiple illegal aliens—including a baby—died by drowning in the Rio Grande this week alone. Advocates say they hope the buoys will serve as a deterrent before more lives are in danger.
