Texas has won a recent legal battle over its controversial buoy barrier security measure. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Texas can keep the buoys in the Rio Grande River while a larger lawsuit on their legality continues. This ruling overturns a previous court injunction that required Texas to remove the buoys during legal proceedings.
The buoys, meant to deter migrants from crossing the river to reach the U.S., were initially installed along the Rio Grande in July of 2023. Almost immediately, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott faced a lawsuit challenging the initiative.
The Biden administration argued that the buoys pose a safety hazard and that border security is a matter for the federal government, not state governments.
The buoys are located near Eagle Pass, Texas. This border sector has seen the second-highest number of crossings this fiscal year.
The final decision on the future of the buoys will be determined once the Department of Justice’s lawsuit has worked its way through the courts. This debate goes before Judge David Ezra in U.S. District Court on Aug. 6.