Dylan Olive & Kailynn Bannon
News Editor and The Southern Editor
Growing tensions between Texas and federal authorities continue as neither have come to a consensus on how to proceed with the rise in migrant crossers at the U.S.-Mexico border. Conflict ensues as protests break out throughout Texas and Florida sends their own State Guard members out to intervene.
In a divided 5-4 Supreme Court Decision on Jan. 23, the federal government became authorized to remove concertina (i.e. razor) wire along the Mexico border that the governor of Texas, Republican Greg Abbott, started in 2021 as a measure to prevent the rise in illegal migration to the U.S.
The ruling does not prevent Texas from installing more razor wire, but it allows federal Border Patrol agents to cut it along the banks of the Rio Grande river. The federal agents started cutting portions of the razor wire in October because it was impeding the U.S. from patrolling the borders and aiding asylum seekers who are in need of help, according to a Department of Justice court filing.
Amidst trying to cross the river, three migrants drowned after Texas National Guard members didn’t allow Border Patrol agents access to the Rio Grande. The razor wire, stretching roughly 30 miles on the border near the city of Eagle Pass, has injured some migrants upon entering.
Gov. Abbott sued the U.S. government, claiming that the federal government was damaging Texas property and interfering with the state’s border security by removing the wire – the Supreme Court order last month that sided with the Biden administration and appealed Texas’ blocking of federal authorities at the border has left the two in a standoff.
“This is not over,” Gov. Abbott, reacting to the Supreme Court Order, said on X. “Texas’ razor wire is an effective deterrent to the illegal crossings Biden encourages. I will continue to defend Texas’ constitutional authority to secure the border and prevent the Biden Admin from destroying our property.”
A group of 25 Republican governors issued a statement backing Texas’ constitutional authority to defend and protect itself from what Abbott refers to as an “invasion” of migrants. The White House issued a statement as well, celebrating the Supreme Court order, which allowed federal authorities to “address urgent humanitarian situations and enforce our laws.”
The White House also said in the statement: “Texas’ political stunts, like placing razor wire near the border, simply make it harder and more dangerous for frontline personnel to do their jobs. Ultimately, we need adequate resources and policy changes to address our broken immigration system.”
Dr. Bruce Anderson, an associate professor of political science at FSC, said that the people of Texas are upset because there is a huge influx of people entering the country at the U.S.-Mexico border, and it needs to be addressed by the state and federal government. The argument of who has direct authority over the border is driving the conflict and serving as a major roadblock to addressing migration at the border.
“Eventually, the court will probably rule as to whether or not the state has the right to any form of border control,” Anderson said. “The bottom line is that never in the United States has a state been responsible for border security.”
The discourse over who has jurisdiction of the U.S.-Mexico border has some people online speculating that Texas will secede from the United States and be its own governing entity. While this is not yet legally possible, some Texans are still trying to vote to change legislation. Anderson said that no one in the U.S. would want a civil war, and the idea of one happening soon is unlikely and most likely people trolling on the internet.
“What we have now, though, is a new bill that just came through the Senate that will institute some emergency measures that might be used at the border or closing the border entirely,” Anderson said. “And that’s a huge step forward because it was a compromise between Republicans and Democrats in the Senate. The lead person is the senior senator from Oklahoma, James Lankford.”
As conflict between Texas and the federal government increases, convoy rallies and protests have spread across the state, claiming they want the border back. Waving Trump 2024 and Christian flags in the air, hundreds of Texans have expressed a fear for their safety.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced last week that he would send over a thousand Florida National Guard and State Guard members to Texas to aid the state with placing more wire along the border. He claimed Florida would send out Guard members “relatively shortly” in addition to the other soldiers he already deployed to the border.
“Removal of the Florida National Guard to Texas to go fiddle around with some political stunt over there is somewhat harmful,” Anderson said. “But does it rise to the point where you want to federalize the National Guard of Florida, and take it back home? If push comes to shove, I suppose that would be what you would have to do. But again, the executive branch has tremendous power over [the military].”
