The U.S. Supreme Court is granting the Biden Administration’s request to remove the razor wire installed by the state of Texas, aimed at deterring the influx of migrants crossing the Texas border illegally.
In the 5-4 decision, Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett agreed with liberal Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson in the majority.
Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, and Brett Kavanaugh all sided with Texas.
The decision blocks a lower court order that granted the state to block the U.S. Border Patrol from removing concertina wire.
Texas officers, on the orders of Gov. Greg Abbott, installed razor wire to deter migrants from crossing a 29-mile stretch of the Rio Grande.
After the decision, Abbott took to X to voice his determination, saying, “This is not over,” after the Supreme Court decision on Monday.
However, the White House praised the court’s decision, calling it a political stunt by Texas.
“Texas’ political stunts, like placing razor wire near the border, simply make it harder and more dangerous for frontline personnel to do their jobs,” said assistant press secretary Angelo Fernández Hernández.
In response to the increasing illegal border crossings by migrants and the lack of response by the federal government, Abbott launched Operation Lone Star in 2021.
Operation Lone Star deployed multiple resources, including the Texas National Guard and Texas Department of Public Safety, to the southern border.
Recently, the state seized Shelby Park, a 47-acre park in Eagle Pass, a focal point where thousands of migrants have crossed into the country illegally.
The move to seize the park and not allow border patrol agents near the area has set up a showdown between the state government versus the federal government.