A divided Supreme Court on Monday allowed Border Patrol agents to cut razor wire that Texas installed on the U.S.-Mexico border, while a lawsuit over the wire continues. The justices, by a 5-4 vote, granted an emergency appeal from the Biden administration, which has been in an escalating standoff at the border with Texas and had objected to an appellate ruling in favor of the state.
Quick Read
- Supreme Court Decision on Texas Border Wire: The Supreme Court, in a 5-4 vote, permitted Border Patrol agents to cut razor wire installed by Texas on the U.S.-Mexico border.
- Emergency Appeal from Biden Administration: The ruling came after an emergency appeal by the Biden administration against an appellate ruling favoring Texas.
- Texas’ Border Security Measures: The wire is part of Governor Greg Abbott’s broader efforts against the federal government’s immigration policies, including floating barriers and arresting migrants for trespassing.
- Federal Challenge to Texas’ Actions: The Biden administration is also contesting Texas’ actions in federal court.
- Recent Appeals Court Ruling: A federal appeals court had previously ordered federal agents to stop cutting the wire, amidst increasing migrant crossings at Eagle Pass.
- Administration’s Argument: The administration claims the wire hinders Border Patrol agents’ access to migrants and is superseded by federal immigration law.
- Texas’ Counterclaim: Texas argues that federal agents are cutting the wire to aid groups crossing illegally.
- Justices’ Alignment: Chief Justice Roberts, Justices Barrett, Jackson, Kagan, and Sotomayor voted with the administration; Justices Alito, Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, and Thomas sided with Texas.
- Lack of Explanations for Votes: No justice provided an explanation for their decision.
The Associated Press has the story:
Supreme Court allows fed. agents to cut razor wire Texas installed on US-Mexico border
Newslooks- WASHINGTON (AP) —
A divided Supreme Court on Monday allowed Border Patrol agents to cut razor wire that Texas installed on the U.S.-Mexico border, while a lawsuit over the wire continues.
The justices, by a 5-4 vote, granted an emergency appeal from the Biden administration, which has been in an escalating standoff at the border with Texas and had objected to an appellate ruling in favor of the state.
The concertina wire along roughly 30 miles (48 kilometers) of the Rio Grande near the border city of Eagle Pass is part of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s broader fight with the administration over immigration enforcement.
Abbott also has authorized installing floating barriers in the Rio Grande near Eagle Pass and allowed troopers to arrest and jail thousands of migrants on trespassing charges. The administration also is challenging those actions in federal court.
A federal appeals court last month forced federal agents to stop cutting the concertina wire. Large numbers of migrants have crossed at Eagle Pass in recent months.
In court papers, the administration said the wire impedes Border Patrol agents from reaching migrants as they cross the river and that, in any case, federal immigration law trumps Texas’ own efforts to stem the flow of migrants into the country.
Texas officials have argued that federal agents cut the wire to help groups crossing illegally through the river before taking them in for processing.
Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Amy Coney Barrett, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor sided with the administration. Justices Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Clarence Thomas voted with Texas.
No one provided any explantion for their vote.
