Gov. Greg Abbott wasted no time following President Donald Trump’s swearing-in, immediately ordering buoys to be placed along the Rio Grande to beef up border protection.
The buoys were added on January 20, the same day President Trump officially took his position in Washington. The border crossing obstacles were previously a point of contention between Gov. Abbott and the former Biden Administration.
In 2023, Gov. Abbott announced the installation of buoys in the Rio Grande near Eagle Pass in an attempt to deter unlawful border crossings from Mexico into the United States. Shortly after the installation, however, the Biden administration ordered the removal of the barriers, with the Department of Justice suing Texas, accusing the state of failing to erect the buoys without proper federal authorization.
Much of the justification for their removal stemmed from technicalities. In one instance, it was argued that buoys were disruptive to commercial shipping navigation despite no commercial activity in the area where they were raised. In another justification for their removal, Mexico’s Secretary of Foreign Affairs Alicia Bárcena in August 2023 argued that the buoys should be removed since they reside on Mexico’s side of the border.
“Today, I asked President Trump to protect Texas and the entire U.S. from the invasion along our southern border by exercising the full scope of his constitutional authority,” Gov. Abbott wrote on X on January 20, alongside a copy of a letter the governor wrote to President Trump, congratulating him on his inauguration and urging him to do more to secure the border.
“Together, we will end the border crisis,” continued Gov. Abbott.
President Trump has been busy despite just having taken office. On his first day, the President signed numerous executive orders, including directions to once again prioritize deportation for all individuals illegally in the United States, not just those who have committed serious crimes.
The President has also declared a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border with plans to build up a U.S. troop presence to help restrict unauthorized entry into the country. Additionally, Trump has ordered an end to birthright citizenship, suspended the U.S. Refugee Admission Program, and has stated he wants to restart a policy that would require asylum seekers to wait across the border in Mexico.
“Texas installed more buoys in the Rio Grande today to stop illegal immigration. I look forward to continuing to work closely with President Trump to secure the border,” Gov. Abbott said in another January 20 post on X.
“AMERICA IS BACK!” concluded Gov. Abbott.