Texas Governor Greg Abbott has emphasized the state’s recent decision to expand razor wire installations along the U.S.-Mexico border as a means to tackle illegal immigration more effectively.
Abbott’s call for the Texas National Guard to implement “triple-strand” razor wire comes amid ongoing tensions with the federal government, particularly in light of President Biden’s backing of Vice President Kamala Harris as a candidate for the 2024 Democratic ticket. Many conservatives attribute the current border situation to the Biden administration’s policies.
“Texas is tripling razor wire barriers to STOP illegal immigrants from crossing the border,” Abbott tweeted. “While Biden and Harris ignore the crisis, Texas will use every possible strategy to prevent illegal crossings.”
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On Tuesday, Abbott announced that more razor wire is being set up near Shelby Park in Eagle Pass, with further installations also reported near El Paso.
Since launching Operation Lone Star in 2021, Texas officials claim the initiative has led to over 517,900 apprehensions of illegal immigrants and more than 46,000 criminal arrests. The program also includes transporting migrants to Democratic cities with sanctuary policies—over 119,000 since 2022 to locations such as Washington D.C., New York City, and Los Angeles.
Abbott’s tactics have garnered criticism from Democrats and human rights advocates who label them as inhumane. The state and D.C. are currently involved in legal disputes over the razor wire placement.
Immigration remains a pivotal issue for voters as the November elections approach. A recent Fox News poll indicates that a significant number of voters blame Biden and his administration’s “lack of enforcement” for the border challenges, while also holding former President Trump and Senate Republicans accountable.
Harris, labeled by some as the “border czar,” has also faced scrutiny from Republican opponents.
Interestingly, illegal crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border have reached a near four-year low, with U.S. Customs and Border Protection reporting 56,408 crossings last month—a 32% drop from June and the fifth month of consecutive declines.