Texas begins deploying floating buoy barriers in Rio Grande; kayaking outfitter sues



Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott is facing a lawsuit over the installation of a floating barrier in the Rio Grande, the Houston Chronicle reported Friday.

"The buoys have arrived and the installation of the marine barrier on the Rio Grande begins today. #OperationLoneStar," the Texas Department of Public Safety tweeted Friday afternoon.

Gov. Abbott shared a 15-second video of the large, orange buoys being offloaded from flatbed trailers Friday. Texas DPS is overseeing the marine barrier installation in Eagle Pass, Gov. Abbott said in a tweet, adding there is "more to come."

— (@)

Gov. Abbott launched Operation Lone Star in March 2021 to respond to skyrocketing levels of illegal immigration.

Eagle Pass resident Jessie F. Fuentes filed a lawsuit within hours of the buoys' arrival, the Houston Chronicle reported. Fuentes owns a business that provides boat rentals and guided river tours. His lawsuit alleges that Abbott lacks the legal authority to launch the operation meant to deter illegal migrants from ever entering the water.

"[The business owned by Fuentes] will be unable to conduct tours and canoe and kayak sessions in Eagle Pass because of the installation of the buoys," the lawsuit says.

"The Governor proclaims to support law and order, yet he initiated Operation Lone Star without legal authority and seeks to install buoys to score political points without a legitimate public policy objective," Laredo attorney Carlos E. Flores, who represents Fuentes, told the outlet.

Gov. Abbott announced his plan to deploy the floating barriers June 8, as TheBlaze reported. The marine deterrent is one part of a much larger package package of border legislation.

"Today, public enemy number one is the Mexican cartels, and they impact every community in Texas and the United States," Texas DPS Director Steve McCraw said during the June press conference.

"Our mission is to detect and interdict transitional criminal activity and create proactive strategies to combat it. It's dangerous to cross between ports of entry, and securing the border between them is ideal to fight Mexican cartels."

At least four migrants drown in the Rio Grande in Eagle Pass this month, including an infant, WLS-TV reported Tuesday.

Last Saturday, Texas DPS's Tactical Marine Unit deployed two airboats to recover multiple bodies seen floating in the river.

Immigration advocates claim the buoys will lead to more drownings. DPS officials say the barriers will deter would-be illegal migrants from undertaking the treacherous crossing at all.

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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announces that in addition to Washington DC and NYC, migrants are also now being bused to Chicago



Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, has announced that a group of migrants was bused from the Lone Star State to Chicago, Illinois.

The governor had already been busing migrants from Texas to Washington, D.C., and New York City, though the trips are undertaken voluntarily. Now, the Windy City will be another destination for migrants who opt for such a trip.

"President Biden's inaction at our southern border continues putting the lives of Texans—and Americans—at risk and is overwhelming our communities," Abbott said, according to a press release. "To continue providing much-needed relief to our small, overrun border towns, Chicago will join fellow sanctuary cities Washington, D.C. and New York City as an additional drop-off location. Mayor [Lori] Lightfoot loves to tout the responsibility of her city to welcome all regardless of legal status, and I look forward to seeing this responsibility in action as these migrants receive resources from a sanctuary city with the capacity to serve them."

The first bus of migrants transported from Texas to the nation's capital arrived in April, and earlier this month, the first bus arrived in the Big Apple.

Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, has twice requested the deployment of the D.C. National Guard to assist amid the migrant influx, but both times the Pentagon has rebuffed the mayor's requests.

"As a city, we are doing everything we can to ensure these immigrants and their families can receive shelter, food, and most importantly protection. This is not new; Chicago welcomes hundreds of migrants every year to our city and provides much-needed assistance," a spokesperson for Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot's office said in a statement. "Unfortunately, Texas Governor Greg Abbott is without any shame or humanity. But ever since he put these racist practices of expulsion in place, we have been working with our community partners to ready the city to receive these individuals."

\u201cNEWS: Today, the City of Chicago received confirmation that approximately 60 migrants were traveling to Chicago by way of Texas. Chicago is a welcoming city and as such has collaborated across various departments and agencies to ensure we greeted them with dignity and respect.\u201d
— Ryan Johnson (@Ryan Johnson) 1661995921

Hollywood Loses Its Mind Over Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Lifting Mask Mandate

Celebrities lost their minds on Twitter, lamenting that Abbott would embrace freedom and not stay in lockdown mode until the end of time.
The Wilkow Guide to Decoding Media Hypocrisy | Ep 233

The Wilkow Guide to Decoding Media Hypocrisy | Ep 233