WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 25th July, 2023) The US Justice Department has filed a lawsuit against the state of Texas over floating barriers installed in the Rio Grande river to curb illegal immigration on the US-Mexico border, the Justice Department said in a release.
"The Rivers and Harbors Act is clear in prohibiting the placement of any unauthorized barriers or obstructions in the Rio Grande and other navigable waters of the United States," Assistant US Attorney General Todd Kim said in the release on Monday.
Filed in a US Federal court in Austin, Texas, the Justice Department argued in the suit that Texas violated federal laws governing navigable waterways by erecting the barriers without first seeking federal permissions.
In addition, the lawsuit alleges that the barriers pose threats to navigation and public safety and present humanitarian concerns.
The Biden administration had previously warned Texas Governor Greg Abbott that a legal battle could be avoided by removing the obstacles from the river, while Abbott maintains that by refusing to remove the obstacles, he is protecting the state's sovereign interest in protecting its borders--an issue he claims the Biden administration has ignored.
"Texas will see you in court, Mr President," Abbott said in a statement earlier on Monday.
