'See you in court': Gov. Greg Abbott responds to Biden Administration over border lawsuit

ByTom Abrahams KTRK logo
Tuesday, July 25, 2023
'See you in court': Abbott responds to suit on barriers at the border
'See you in court': Abbott responds to suit on barriers at the borderGov. Greg Abbott dares the Biden Administration to take him to court over new barriers along the Rio Grande River on the Texas/Mexico border.

Gov. Greg Abbott is daring the Biden Administration to take him to court over new barriers along the Rio Grande River on the Texas/Mexico border. And late Monday, the Department of Justice filed suit against the State of Texas.

The filing comes after Abbott sent a letter to President Joe Biden earlier Monday.

"To state the obvious, that statute does not describe any action by the State of Texas," Abbott wrote in his letter. "While I share the humanitarian concerns noted in your lawyers' letter, Mr. President, your finger points in the wrong direction."

SEE ABBOTT'S FULL LETTER TO THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION:

Abbott has, for the better part of two years, blamed the Biden administration for failing to enforce immigration law.

Carine Martinez, with the conservative think tank Texas Public Policy Foundation, agrees with Abbott's position.

"The federal government hasn't done its job," Martinez told ABC13. "I think the governor absolutely has the right to secure its border Texas border to secure its territorial boundaries, and its citizens under the Constitution."

For its part, an administration official told ABC13 anchor Tom Abrahams on Monday, on background, that Abbott is making it harder for the men and women of the Border Patrol to do their jobs. Officials say Abbott's actions are preventing Border Patrol agents from accessing the river, patrolling the area, and arresting individuals who attempt to enter the country unlawfully, and they are forcing agents to cut through multiple layers of concertina wire when responding to medical emergencies.

At Monday's White House briefing, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called the governor's actions "cruel."

"What you see the governor doing is dangerous and unlawful and is actually hurting the process," she told reporters. "It's hurting the process of what we are trying to do."

Abbott announced the installation of the buoys more than a month ago. Installation began weeks ago, and the feds late last week threatened a lawsuit, stating the buoys violate federal law. But Abbott maintains he is protecting Texas' sovereignty.

SEE THE FULL LAWSUIT HERE:

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