As a part of Governor Abbott’s Operation Lone Star, a program implemented to deter immigration, buoys have been placed on the Rio Grande to the dismay of many, including the Department of Justice (DOJ). Since their installation in July, the buoys have brought nothing but trouble to Texas’ political climate.
Shortly after the buoys were implemented, the DOJ sued the State of Texas over their legality citing them as a violation of the Rivers and Harbors Act due to their obstruction of navigable waters. The case is ongoing, with the final statements having been submitted last Friday and the judge’s verdict currently on the way.
Eagle Pass residents have also been spotted protesting the buoys and other barbaric measures Abbott is taking against immigrants, including the use of concertina wires and shipping container barricades. According to the Texas Tribune, “Eagle Pass residents and city leaders have become uncomfortable with the state’s tactics or have dropped their support of Abbott’s efforts, saying there must be a better way.” In addition to Eagle Pass residents, Mexico is another party that has been vocally against the buoys, stating in a letter to the U.S. that they found the buoys to violate the Mexican Water Treaty of 1944.
Worst of all, the buoys and other obstructions have proven to be lethal. Bodies have already been found near the buoys and several people have been hospitalized from gashes caused by the razor wire. The Wall Street Journal reported that the 2022 fiscal year was the deadliest for immigrants, stating that over 890 bodies were recovered by U.S. authorities.
This reality brings up two key conversations, one about the inhumane view that the U.S. holds toward immigrants, and another about how the next gubernatorial race will go. With Gov. Abbott only growing increasingly more hostile regarding border policy, the outcome of the legal battle between him and the DOJ will set a precedent for how he will handle policy in the future. If Abbott is continually allowed free reign of the border, his barbarity will only grow, and so too will the record of immigrant deaths. On the other hand, if Abbott continues to act against the wishes of his constituents, it opens the possibility of a potential loss in a future gubernatorial race. While Abbott has had a stalwart hold on the office for three terms, his win percentages have been steadily declining since his first win in 2014. These haphazard actions paired with others found unpopular with constituents hold the capability to finally run him out of office.
