Efforts on the Rio Grande, reminiscent of using wrecking ball-sized buoys, have been escalated to deter migrants from entering the U.S. Notably, such actions, including bulldozers modifying America’s southern border terrain and razor wires installed on private property without consent, have been ramped up for over two years.
Governor’s Standalone Tactics Face Backlash
Under the watch of Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott, these audacious, go-it-alone methods have been gaining momentum along Texas’ sprawling 1,200-mile (1,930-kilometer) border with Mexico, much like a river swelling its banks after relentless rainfall. Now, the governor’s unorthodox actions are facing an increasing storm of criticism, and not just from outside Texas. The internal pushback is also becoming increasingly conspicuous.
Harrowing Accounts Spark Renewed Criticism
A state trooper’s disturbing narration of officers denying migrants water in the punishing 100-degree Fahrenheit (37.7 Celsius) Rio Grande heat and razor wire causing asylum-seekers to bleed has rekindled the flame of criticism. This reviving opposition is not just a domestic phenomenon. The Mexican government, the Biden administration, and certain residents are stepping forward, much like a line of defense, pushing back against these hardline tactics at the Rio Grande border.
