Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Gov. Greg Abbott have responded to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to vacate an injunction preventing federal agents from cutting concertina wire deployed along the border by the state.
SCOTUS vacated the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals’ injunction in a 5-4 split decision, with Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, and Brett Kavanaugh dissenting, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
Paxton has responded to the ruling by criticizing the federal government, claiming that the decision “allows Biden to continue his illegal effort to aid the foreign invasion of America.”
“The destruction of Texas’s border barriers will not help enforce the law or keep American citizens safe. This fight is not over, and I look forward to defending our state’s sovereignty,” he continued, according to a press release.
Abbott has also offered a response, posting on social media that the fight to secure the state’s border with Mexico “is not over.”
“Texas’ razor wire is an effective deterrent to the illegal crossings Biden encourages,” said Abbott. “I will continue to defend Texas’ constitutional authority to secure the border and prevent the Biden Admin from destroying our property.”
Other state officials, such as Texas Department of Public Safety spokesperson Lt. Chris Olivarez, have spoken out against the decision as well.
Olivarez posted on social media not long after the ruling, saying that state law enforcement will “maintain its current posture in deterring illegal border crossings by utilizing effective border security measures — reinforced concertina wire & anti-climb barriers along the Rio Grande.”
“The logical concern should be why the Federal Government continues to hinder Texas’ ability to protect its border, all while allowing for the exploitation, dangerous, & inhumane methods of permitting illegal immigrants, including children, to illegally cross a dangerous river where many have lost their lives,” he added.
Sen. Tan Parker (R-Flower Mound) also took to social media to criticize the high court’s decision, stating that the ruling “highlights the urgent need for states to adopt an Interstate Border Compact.”
“Texas’ efforts to secure its border are being undercut by federal overreach. It’s time for states to unite and take control of our own security. Texas has and will continue to lead the way,” he wrote.
The appeals process in the ongoing legal battle over Texas’ border measures will continue when the Fifth Circuit Court hears arguments on February 17, according to a press release.
The litigation revolves around claims made by the Texas Office of the Attorney General that federal agents were cutting the concertina wire along the border in an attempt to assist migrants trying to enter the country unlawfully, as previously reported by DX.
Paxton filed a lawsuit against officials in the Biden administration, citing concerns that “federal government officials are, once again, undermining Texas’s efforts to stem the flow of illegal immigration.”
“The crisis at the southern border is well known. The Biden Administration’s abdication of its duty to secure the border has allowed millions of aliens to illegally cross into Texas and the United States in record numbers.”
Texas and the federal government have been engaged in multiple legal battles over border security in the past year, including cases related to a new state law that makes unlawful entry into the state a crime and a floating barrier meant to deter unlawful migration.
For its part, the Biden administration lauded Monday’s SCOTUS ruling.
“[The Department of Homeland Security] welcomes today’s Supreme Court order. Enforcement of immigration law is a federal responsibility,” the agency said in a statement, ABC News reported. “Rather than helping to reduce irregular migration, the State of Texas has only made it harder for frontline personnel to do their jobs and to apply consequences under the law. We can enforce our laws and administer them safely, humanely, and in an orderly way.”
