On Tuesday, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals granted a temporary victory to Texas by blocking the Biden administration from removing razor wire barriers placed at the border by Texas authorities.
The court ruled that, during the appeal, the government is prohibited from damaging or interfering with Texas’s concertina wire fence near Eagle Pass, Texas, except in the case of a medical emergency.
Texas had sued the Biden administration in October, alleging that the removal of over 29 miles of concertina wire along the border facilitated illegal immigration.
The state argued that this action not only damaged Texas’s property but also disrupted its border security efforts, creating gaps in barriers.
The federal government contended that the wire inhibited Border Patrol’s ability to patrol the border. Initially, a federal judge had blocked agents from cutting the razor wire, but this decision was later reversed, prompting Texas to appeal.
The recent court ruling means that, for now, the wire cannot be damaged or removed.
The decision coincides with a renewed surge in migration in the area, with over 12,600 encounters reported on the border on Monday.
As of Tuesday morning, Border Patrol agents in Eagle Pass were processing more than 4,500 individuals and had 5,300 in custody..
