Thursday, August 31, 2023

WILL TEXAS GOV ABBOTT ADD ALLIGATORS AND LANDMINES IN NEXT ANTI-IMMIGRANT MOVE

WILL TEXAS GOV ABBOTT ADD ALLIGATORS AND LANDMINES IN NEXT ANTI-IMMIGRANT MOVE

As if the year 2020 wasn't enough to handle, Texas Governor Greg Abbott has decided to spice things up by militarizing the US-Mexico border. Because, you know, what's a little extra drama and tension between neighbors?

Abbott's Operation Lone Star has been met with controversy and criticism, but that hasn't stopped him from throwing billions of dollars at anti-immigrant efforts. And he's not alone in his quest for a fortified border - Republican governors from South Dakota to Florida have joined in, sending personnel and equipment to assist.

But Abbott's latest move has really raised some eyebrows - he's added a line of buoys in the Rio Grande. Yes, you read that right. Buoys. In a river. Because apparently, Abbott thinks he's playing a game of Battleship with Mexico.

Not surprisingly, the addition of buoys has not gone over well with humanitarian and environmental critics, or with the Biden administration. In fact, the US Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit seeking to remove the $1 million buoy barrier, claiming it violates the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899. Who knew that a law from over a century ago would come in handy in 2021?

But Abbott's not just stopping at buoys. Oh no, he's also been clearing vegetation and flattening small islands in the river where migrants often pause for breath. Because who needs wildlife habitat when you can have a militarized border, right?

It's almost like Abbott is trying to one-up former President Trump's border wall obsession. What's next, landmines? Maybe he'll start building moats and drawbridges too. Who needs diplomacy and cooperation when you can just build a fortress?

But let's not forget about the real victims here - the poor migrants who are just trying to find a better life for themselves and their families. They're the ones who are suffering from Abbott's militarization tactics, as they're met with even more obstacles and dangers on their journey.

In conclusion, Governor Abbott may think he's playing a game of Risk with Mexico, but the reality is that his actions have serious consequences for both people and the environment. Maybe it's time for him to put down the toy soldiers and start focusing on real solutions that don't involve turning our border into a warzone.

Deadly buoys, razor wires, armed guards: Greg Abbott is fixated on keeping migrants out https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/aug/29/greg-abott-texas-governor-mexico-border-asylum-seekers-risk?CMP=share_btn_tw 

Texas Senate hopeful decries governor’s ‘criminal, inhumane’ razor-wire barrier | Texas | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jul/28/texas-governor-condemned-razor-wire-buoy-us-mexico-border 

DOJ to sue Texas over Gov. Abbott's floating wall, razor wire along the Rio Grande https://www.tpr.org/border-immigration/2023-07-21/doj-to-sue-texas-over-gov-abbotts-operation-lone-star-border-security-program