FORT WORTH — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has committed to fighting the federal government’s border security lawsuit all the way up to the Supreme Court if need be.
At a bill signing ceremony attended by The Dallas Express in Fort Worth on Wednesday, Abbott answered questions regarding the ongoing lawsuit between Texas and the Department of Justice over certain measures installed by the state to stem the tide of unlawful migration.
“I’m being honest with you, I thought President Biden would send me a thank you note for what Texas is doing to secure the border and maybe a big check for all the money the state of Texas is investing to do the federal government’s job,” Abbott said.
“As it concerns our ability to succeed in that lawsuit, I think it’s very clear,” Abbott suggested. “First of all, the statute on which the lawsuit is based does not seem to apply to the buoys that are at issue.”
“But second, even if it does, I believe that the constitutional right of the state of Texas to secure our border and to defend our sovereignty supersedes any statute,” he continued.
The governor, who is himself an attorney and previously served on the Texas Supreme Court and state attorney general, made this argument in his response letter to the DOJ’s lawsuit, as reported by The Dallas Express.
“The last thing I’ll make clear is that I cannot predict what may happen in a trial court,” he added.
“What I can tell you for certainty is that Texas is going to take this case all the way to the United States Supreme Court to defend the rights guaranteed to us in the United States Constitution,” Abbott concluded.
The governor’s comments come as tensions between the state and the federal government have continued to climb.
The DOJ has sued Texas over a system of water buoys installed on the Rio Grande in order to deter migrants from entering the country unlawfully, as reported by The Dallas Express.
Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta explained, “We allege that Texas has flouted federal law by installing a barrier in the Rio Grande without obtaining the required federal authorization.”
“This floating barrier poses threats to navigation and public safety and presents humanitarian concerns. Additionally, the presence of the floating barrier has prompted diplomatic protests by Mexico and risks damaging U.S. foreign policy,” she continued.
While the case is being litigated, the crisis at the southern border continues unabated, according to immigration experts who spoke with The Dallas Express.
Andrew Arthur, the resident fellow in law and policy for the Center for Immigration Studies, previously told The Dallas Express, “The Biden administration refuses to call it a disaster, and I’ve seen border disasters before, and this is beyond a disaster.”
The administration has rejected such claims, with the Department of Homeland Security recently claiming, “The Administration’s plan is working as intended.”