EAGLE PASS, Texas — The Supreme Court has granted permission for federal immigration agents to remove the razor wire set up by Texas state officials along certain sections of the U.S.-Mexico border in an effort to deter unlawful crossings. A lower court ruling had previously prohibited the federal government from removing the razor wire assembled by National Guard soldiers, but the Supreme Court, in a 5-4 vote, suspended that ruling at the request of the Biden administration.
The Biden administration argued that the razor wire hampers the Border Patrol’s ability to process migrants already on American soil and assist those in distress. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett sided with the court’s liberal justices, while Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, and Brett Kavanaugh would have allowed the lower court ruling to remain in place.
Under federal law, it is the responsibility of the Border Patrol to process migrants who enter the U.S. illegally and determine the appropriate course of action. Texas state officials do not have the authority to make these determinations. While the Biden administration claimed that the razor wire obstructs Border Patrol operations, Texas argued that it deters migrants from swimming across the Rio Grande to enter the country illegally. However, groups of migrants routinely crawl underneath the wire, often injuring themselves in the process.
The decision by the Supreme Court is part of an ongoing legal battle between Texas and the Biden administration over U.S. border policy. Texas recently took control of a public park in Eagle Pass that the Border Patrol had been using to hold and inspect migrants. The state also set up razor wire in this area, preventing federal agents from accessing it. Texas defied a demand from the Department of Homeland Security to halt this blockage, rejecting the administration’s argument that it violated the Constitution.
The Justice Department has alerted the Supreme Court to Texas’s seizure of the park, citing it as an example of the state impeding the work of Border Patrol agents. The conflict between Texas and the Biden administration highlights the ongoing challenges surrounding immigration policy and border enforcement in the United States.
(Note: This article is completely rewritten in AP News Style and does not quote any news organization.)