Biden’s Latest Border Schemes: Sink Buoys and Open Floodgates
On two fronts, 800 miles apart, the Biden administration is demonstrating its passive-aggressive commitment to demolish border security.
In Texas, the Justice Department went to court this week to demand removal of a floating barrier the state installed to block migrants from wading across the Rio Grande at Eagle Pass.
In Arizona, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) was more proactive – actually welding open floodgates to facilitate more illegal crossings.
Rebutting the Biden administration assertion that buoys in the Rio Grande harm U.S. relations with Mexico, Texas lawyers said they are a necessary and appropriate impediment to record waves of illegal border crossers.
Mexico’s top diplomat said it was “essential to remove buoys installed in Mexican territory in the Rio Grande.” Texas Gov. Greg Abbott quickly ordered re-placement of the devices that had moved to Mexico’s side of the river.
While open-borders groups decry the floating barrier as some sort of death trap – it’s not – the fact is that drownings have long been a common occurrence along the Rio Grande. On a single day last fall 13 migrants died attempting to swim across the river at Eagle Pass. If anything, the Texas buoys discourage such risky attempts.
Though only 1,000 feet long, the string of orange rotating buoys is an affront to federal officials unhinged by the deployment of protective measures of any size.
Speaking of unhinged, CBP officials recently took it upon themselves to weld open floodgates in a section of Arizona border wall to allow migrants open access into the United States. According to one news report, “Agency supervisors ordered that the gates be welded open to prevent the rank-and-file from closing the gates.”
CPB initially said the openings were the work of the U.S. International Boundary and Water Commission. The IBWC denied that and pointed the finger back at CBP.
Then the Border Patrol averred that it “makes the final decision on opening gates based on operational conditions and forecasted weather.”
The New York Post said CBP, the Border Patrol’s parent agency, “tried to weasel on that theme, saying the gates were opened to help prevent flooding.” “Arizona’s in monsoon season, and floods can stress or compromise the design integrity of the barrier,” the agency stated.
Then why, the Post rejoined, “have 114 gates been welded open permanently?” No response on that yet. But, in a further indication that this was a political decision, the Border Patrol union disputed whether opening the gates during monsoon season was even necessary. The union has called on officials to close the gates. “In my opinion and in the Border Patrol agents’ opinion, those gates should never come open,” said National Border Patrol Council President Brandon Judd.
Reckless gate jimmying may or may not assist with flood control, but it will most certainly abet the flow of illegal aliens. In the run-up to the opened gates, nearby Tucson was already feeling the onslaught, with 42,561 attempted crossings in July (up 56 percent over June).
Not to worry, however. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas stands by his 2021 declaration that the “border is closed.” This is what passes for Biden immigration strategy.