Buoys, razor wire and more: A look at the border barriers in place to deter illegal migration
NORTH TEXAS (CBSNewsTexas.com) - The Biden administration filed a lawsuit against Texas on Monday over the state's use of buoys to create a floating barrier in the Rio Grande.
The barrier was established this month as a way to deter illegal migrant crossings. It stretches about 1,000 feet, or about the length of three football fields.
Crossing the border illegally while trying to evade detection can already be a perilous journey, and drowning is one of the major risks. Just this month, four people, including an infant, drowned in the Rio Grande in Eagle Pass while trying to cross the border.
Days later, the floating barrier was placed in the river. Some worry it will create an even more dangerous situation.
In an interview with CBS News Texas Monday, Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) spokesperson Lt. Christopher Olivarez said the goal is for the floating barrier to deter migrants from even entering the Rio Grande in the first place.
"We have that in place to act as a deterrent, to discourage anyone from even stepping foot in the river," he said. "We don't want anyone to cross the river because we know it's very dangerous."
Olivarez said the buoys will remain in place for now, and there's a possibility more will be added if they prove to be effective at keeping people from crossing the border.
There have been reports of a net attached to the buoys, which has raised even more safety concerns. Olivarez said that those reports aren't accurate.
The floating barrier certainly isn't the only tool being used at the Texas-Mexico border to deter migration. Here's a rundown of what other border barriers are currently in place:
- Chain link fencing - Texas DPS told CBS News Texas between 40 and 60 miles of fencing has been installed in and around the Eagle Pass stretch of the border.
- Concertina wire - This is a type of barbed wire that's also very visible on the border. According to DPS, there are about 90 miles of wire in the same area of the border.
- Storage containers - Last fall, the state of Texas also began using empty storage containers as a deterrent. About 100 of them are lined up side-by-side, creating a wall on the levees just north of the river in Eagle Pass.
