Construction crews began deployment of the historic floating border barrier near Eagle Pass, Texas, on Monday. The project is expected to provide a strong deterrent to illegal border crossings in high-traffic areas along the Rio Grande.
Texas Department of Public Safety spokesman Lt. Chris Olivarez tweeted videos showing construction crews beginning the installation of a series of floating buoys near Eagle Pass on Monday. The buoys are being deployed under orders from Governor Greg Abbott with funds authorized by the Texas Legislature.
In addition to deterring the large numbers of migrant crossings in the area, Olivarez says the new floating barriers will save lives. The buoys are being placed in an area with a high volume of illegal border crossings where several migrants drowned in recent weeks.
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Texas DPS Tactical Marine Unit troopers and Florida Fish and Wildlife wardens recovered the bodies four migrants who drowned while attempting to cross the Rio Grande in the area where the new barrier is now being constructed, Breitbart Texas reported. The drownings occurred in three separate incidents over 48 hours.
Segments of Texas border buoys arrive in Eagle Pass. (Randy Clark/Breitbart Texas)
The large buoys began arriving in Eagle Pass last Friday, July 7, amid a small group of protesters, Breitbart Texas’ Randy Clark reported. The group comprised local residents and others who traveled from Laredo, Texas, to Eagle Pass. A local Democratic Party County chair was also in attendance at the event.
Protesters gather along the Rio Grande in Eagle Pass, Texas, to demonstrate against Abbott’s floating border barrier. (Randy Clark/Breitbart Texas)
Despite the sweltering heat of the Texas summer, migrants continue crossing from Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, into the Eagle Pass area of operations.
Bob Price serves as the Breitbart Texas-Border team’s associate editor and senior news contributor. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston’s What’s Your Point? Sunday-morning talk show. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX.