Texas Governor Greg Abbott unveils floating wall, signs border measures into law
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott deployed new barrier to keep undocumented immigrants out
With an estimated 6 million undocumented immigrants crossing our Southern Border since 2021, Texas Governor Greg Abbott is desperate to slow the flow. On Thursday, he unveiled a new strategy aimed at making it much more difficult to swim or wade across the Rio Grande. FOX 26 Political Reporter Greg Groogan explains what's being deployed.
HOUSTON - Calling it "breaking news", Governor Greg Abbott unveiled the latest taxpayer-funded tool to deter uninvited immigration.
He calls them "water-based barrier buoys" to be strategically placed in the middle of the Rio Grande.
"This a barrier that will slow down and reduce the number of people who will be able to make it past," said Abbott.
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Department of Public Safety Commander Steve McCraw calls the countermeasure a deterrent for migrants who choose to enter the water.
"It's very difficult to be able to go through these. It's very difficult to come over it," said McCraw.
The first thousand feet are soon to be deployed near Eagle Pass with more certain to follow as part of a $5 billion fully state-funded border security campaign aimed at slowing the flow of unauthorized people and illicit drugs.
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"Today, public enemy number one are the Mexican cartels. The most powerful, and ruthless, and violent organization in the world," said McCraw.
In addition to the river buoys, the Governor signed bills designating the cartels as terrorist organizations, funding local law enforcement training, expanding the use of National Guard surveillance drones, authorizing Border Patrol Agents to arrest, search and seize under Texas law as well as substantial financial aid for landowners who've suffered property damage from drug smugglers and human traffickers.
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The Governor insists positioning more DPS Troopers and National Guardsmen on the border is saving lives.
"They have seized enough Fentanyl to kill every man, woman, and child in the United States of America. The context is very simple. Washington D.C. has failed to do its job to secure our border," said Abbott.
McCraw confirmed that the water barrier is not cheap, with the first one thousand feet costing several hundred thousand dollars.