Sunshine Sentinel

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has continued to assert his state authority to secure its borders while the ongoing debate rages over immigration policies, leading to clashes with federal authorities, including President Joe Biden.

In a letter addressed to Biden on July 24, Abbott said, "if you truly care about human life, you must begin enforcing federal immigration laws."

According to a release from the Governor's Official Website, Abbot has "defended the state's right to secure its borders" by deploying floating marine barriers in Eagle Pass in the Rio Grande River. According to a report by Texas Public Radio, the move has drawn the attention of the Justice Department, which threatened legal action against the state over the barriers. 

In response, Abbot wrote his letter to Biden, in which he wrote, "Texas will see you in court, Mr. President."

Abbott countered the legal threat by imploring Biden to help Texas stem the flow of illegal immigrants. "By doing so, you can help me stop migrants from wagering their lives in the waters of the Rio Grande River," he wrote. "You can also help me save Texans, and indeed all Americans, from deadly drugs like fentanyl, cartel violence, and the horrors of human trafficking."

Abbott cited the Constitution's grant of sovereign authority to Texas to protect its borders in the absence of effective enforcement of federal immigration laws. He argued that enforcing existing laws and preventing illegal immigration between ports of entry is crucial to ensure the safety of migrants and American citizens. He wrote that until such measures are taken at the federal level, "Texas will fully utilize its constitutional authority to deal with the crisis you have caused," Abbott wrote in his letter.

Abbott rejected the Justice Department's claim that floating marine barriers violate Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act, providing evidence of previous letters, including one he had hand-delivered to Biden in November and January. Despite Abbott's claims, the response from the White House has condemned Abbott's interpretation of Constitutional law, the release said.