BORDER WALL

Texas sued to stop an executive order issued by President Biden on his Inauguration Day to stop border wall construction and divert funds that had already been allocated for the project.

The state has built about 34 miles of wall spread out across at least six counties on Texas’ 1,254-mile border with Mexico.

Immigration is a driving issue in the almost-certain presidential rematch between the Democratic incumbent and ousted Republican.

The new law would authorize police to arrest people they suspect crossed the Rio Grande between ports of entry. Abbott also signed a bill earmarking more than $1 billion for more border barriers.

Senate Bill 3 would also appropriate $40 million for state troopers to patrol Colony Ridge, a housing development outside of Houston, and allow the state to send money to local jurisdictions to offset the cost of enforcing another immigration-related bill.

The Texas House also voted to spend $1.5 billion on new state border walls, though that measure must be reconciled with the Senate version before it’s sent to Gov. Greg Abbott for consideration.

The governor, lieutenant governor and House speaker generally agree on building more border barriers and making illegal border crossings a state crime. But disagreements over strategy and personal animosity mean those measures face long odds this special legislative session.

Along with the money to build more border barriers, Senate Bill 6 would devote $49 million to beef up law enforcement of the Colony Ridge development that’s become a target of far-right media.

The Biden administration is facing scrutiny and controversy over its recent decision to construct a new border wall in Starr County.

Even as the president says the barriers don’t work, his administration says it will waive environmental laws to build them quickly.

The Florida governor calls for deputizing local law enforcement to police the border and deport migrants, saying his plan is “more aggressive” than the former president’s proposals.

Anti-border wall activists are racing to find landowners along the Rio Grande before they sign contracts with the state.

The governor said Mike Banks, a recently retired Border Patrol agent, will work with the Texas National Guard and state troopers to find ways to deter people from crossing the border illegally.

The two companies awarded contracts on Thursday will erect border barriers in Del Rio and the Rio Grande Valley.

Among voters near the Texas-Mexico border, immigration and border security are a leading cause for flipping from Democrat to Republican.

Abbott said he’s responding to the Biden administration announcement that it will lift a pandemic-era emergency health order that allowed immigration authorities to turn away migrants at the border, even those seeking asylum.

The governor has ordered thousands of state troopers and National Guard members to the border since last year. Here’s what you need to know about the initiative.

The administration says it’s filling in wall gaps for agent safety and flood control, and documents suggest an environmental assessment for 86 miles of wall in South Texas is a stalling tactic.

Texas plans to repurpose the panels, left over when the Biden administration halted work on former President Donald Trump’s wall, to erect 1.3 miles of border barrier.

The 2016 Facebook post said, "Better to be a Mexican, than to be a citizen of a country that elects Trump as President."

Abbott unveiled the first 900 feet of border barrier Saturday. But the state has been mum on where it plans to build additional barriers and how many miles it can afford.

Political observers say the move is a gamble. All three other major Republican candidates for attorney general, including incumbent Ken Paxton, have strong stances on border security.

Abbott launched the construction of a wall along the Texas-Mexico border using state money and crowdfunded private donations. The state has at least $1.05 billion for the border barriers.

Gov. Greg Abbott is holding a press briefing to debut the Texas border wall construction in Rio Grande City, along the Texas-Mexico border.

One of the companies being considered previously built a 3-mile barrier that is at risk of falling into the Rio Grande.

Timothy Mellon is the Wyoming-based grandson of banking tycoon Andrew Mellon. He is responsible for nearly 98% of the donations to Texas’ border wall fund.

Gov. Greg Abbott said Texas was stepping up to do the federal government’s job after Biden’s immigration policies had “opened the floodgates” to illegal immigration and crime.

Patrick’s comments mirrored a far-right theory that says political elites are replacing white populations through mass migration and demographic changes. He called the increase of migrants at the border an “invasion.”

The two firms awarded the contract have previously built barriers and designed ports of entry for the federal government.

The state is expected to award the contract in mid-September to begin the construction of a Texas-Mexico border wall.

After two months, the donations had petered out around $1 million. But the effort saw a major boost in August.

Proponents of House Bill 9 denounced the Biden administration’s approach to border security, saying the state had no choice but to step in to ramp up enforcement.

The bill would nearly triple border security funding from the last biennium. The legislation needs one more vote of approval from the House before moving to the Senate.

A border sheriff told lawmakers that some landowners who are afraid of migrants crossing their property have asked him, "When can I shoot?"

The barrier in Eagle Pass is the first glimpse into how much a state-funded border wall could cost. But Abbott’s office says it’s a “concrete barrier” that is separate from his border wall push.

On Wednesday, Abbott issued the order, allowing Texas Department of Public Safety troopers to reroute civilian vehicles back to their origin point or a port of entry, or seize the vehicles, if police suspect the driver is transporting migrants who have COVID-19.

One day after Abbott told state troopers to pull over vehicles with migrants suspected of having COVID-19, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said the governor's order violated federal law.

In a letter to the major general of the Texas National Guard, Abbott said “more manpower is needed” at the border.

Despite promises from Abbott that transparency in the crowdfunding process for the border wall would be paramount, donor information released to The Texas Tribune for the first week of collections was bereft of any way to verify the identities of the majority of the donors.

The lawsuit says the president had no legal right to put a stop to wall construction on the Texas-Mexico border because Congress had already appropriated the funds.

The agenda for the special session that begins today previews some of the issues you're likely to hear about during the 2022 election cycle.

The governor said Texas needs to build a border wall to reduce migrant apprehensions and fentanyl seizures. But immigration and drug treatment experts say Abbott's oversimplifying the issue.

Some landowners who sued the Trump administration say they aren't "just going to roll over and give up" now that Abbott has taken on a border wall project. Others say a wall is needed to protect people and property on the border.

The former president is touring the border Wednesday with Abbott, who has promised to build a state-funded border wall.

The disaster declarations give the governor broad power to suspend state laws and regulations that hinder a jurisdiction’s recovery from a disaster and to allow the use of available resources to respond to the disaster.

Gov. Greg Abbott pledged $250 million in state funds for a Texas-Mexico border wall and is soliciting donations to fund the rest.

Former President Donald Trump plans on touring Texas’ southern border with Gov. Greg Abbott later this month.

The prison — Dolph Briscoe Unit in Dilley — will have capacity for about 1,000 people.

“If people die again, blood will be on your hands,” U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso, wrote in a tweet.

The governor did not specify how long the wall would be or where it would be built. He directed the Texas Facilities Commission to hire a program manager to begin that research.

Abbott announced last Thursday that Texas would build its own border wall to stem the flow of migrants from Mexico.

Abbott made national headlines with his announcement Thursday in Del Rio that Texas would build its own wall at the Mexico border, though he provided no further details and said he would lay out the plan this week.

Like many Texans, State Rep. Trey Martinez-Fischer, of San Antonio, is waiting to hear the details of Governor Greg Abbott’s plan to build a border wall, announced Thursday in Del Rio.

In this week's TribCast, Matthew speaks with Ross, Patrick and James about Gov. Greg Abbott's border wall idea, the politics of South Texas and the GOP statewide ticket in 2022.

A panel of experts will discuss the policy decisions that have created confusion at the border, what to expect in the coming months and possible paths to reform.

RIO GRANDE VALLEY, Texas – As President Donald Trump celebrated the border wall construction, residents from across the Rio Grande Valley came out to voice their opinion. “I support him and I think he’s a really good president,” said Raul Garcia, a President Donald Trump supporter. President Trump supporters gathered Tuesday morning in McAllen, Texas. Among the crowd was Rio Grande Valley resident Elisa Rivera, who brought her daughters to witness President Trump’s arrival. AdFormer San Antonio Mayor And HUD Secretary Julian Castro was also in attendance, and said the state needs to invest more in the Rio Grande Valley.

Nydia Canas attaches a flag to her vehicle in supporter of President Donald Trump in anticipation of his visit to the U.S.-Mexico border, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021, in Harlingen, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)HARLINGEN, Texas – President Donald Trump traveled to South Texas on Tuesday to tout his administration’s border wall accomplishments. RELATED: President Donald Trump’s relationship with the Texas borderOfficials in Alamo indicated Tuesday morning they did not have any prior knowledge of the president’s visit and did not have an itinerary. pic.twitter.com/rTKFjcq5si — James Dobbins (@james_dobbins_) January 12, 2021More people gathering in McAllen and waiting for President Donald Trump’s arrival. @ksatnews pic.twitter.com/pMjRPDzXjW — KSAT Tiffany Huertas (@KSAT_Tiffany) January 12, 2021Several President Donald Trump supporters gathering near McAllen International Airport.

(AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)Throughout his four years in the Oval Office, President Donald Trump’s relationship with the Texas-Mexico border has been fraught with frustration, confusion, some successes. It was essential to catapulting him to the top of the GOP ticket, and the centerpiece of his illegal immigration platform was Trump’s border wall. Before the president exits office, the administration is looking to award more border wall contracts and the Dept. The Associated Press reported that Crusius posted a racist screed online that featured similarities to Trump’s divisive and inflammatory statements on illegal immigration, but Crusius said his personal views predated Trump’s public stances on illegal immigration. AdREAD MORE:What to know about President Trump’s visit to the Texas border Tuesday

President Donald Trump speaks to the media before boarding Air Force One, at Andrews Air Force Base, Md. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)Hours before President Donald Trump is expected to land in the Rio Grande Valley to celebrate the construction of the border wall, officials in the city where he’s speaking say they have almost no details about his visit. Preparations are underway for President Trump's visit in the Rio Grande Valley. As it went unpaid, city officials added $99,000 in late fees, according to the Texas Tribune. As the president raised money in an attempt to overturn the presidential election, the city went unpaid.

President Donald Trump gestures as he steps off Air Force One upon arrival at Valley International Airport, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021, in Harlingen, Texas. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)President Donald Trump is visiting Texas on Tuesday in the waning days of his presidency as a historic second impeachment looms around the corner. RELATED: President Trump is not visiting the Alamo Tuesday. Border wall was Trump’s cornerstone platform in 2016 campaignTrump’s 2016 campaign focused sharply on building a border wall that Mexico would pay for. According to the administration, his trip on Tuesday is to mark the completion of 400 miles of border wall constructed during his presidency.

FILE - In this Dec. 12, 2020, file photo President Donald Trump walks on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington before boarding Marine One. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)ALAMO, Texas – President Trump is slated to visit South Texas early this week, but not San Antonio. With the news of his scheduled trip to South Texas beginning to circulate Saturday, some confusion surrounds the precise location of his scheduled trip. President Trump is planning to visit Alamo, Texas, a town near the border in the Rio Grande Valley on Tuesday. Law enforcement near Alamo, Texas, have already begun preparing for the president’s visit at the Valley International Airport, according to KVEO-TV.

LAREDO, Texas – Organizers and veterans helped retouch a “Defund the Wall” street mural in Laredo on the same day a car parade of Trump supporters were scheduled to pass over it. Still, both events went on without issue after the Trump car parade was rerouted in an effort to avoid any physical conflict, according to a report from the Laredo Morning Times Online. The “Trump Train,” a group of President Trump supporters, organized the parade of an estimated 300 participants, according to the Laredo Morning Times. Veterans United to Stop The Wall — a new wing of the coalition made up of Laredo veterans — collaborated with the League of United Latin American Citizens and city departments for weeks to secure the permit, according to the No Border Wall Coalition. According to a press release by the No Border Wall Coalition, their goal — aside from the mural — is to redirect the $275 million in wall funding toward social needs.

The damage comes at the start of what is projected to be an active hurricane season, which runs through Nov. 30. Erosion along the privately funded border wall on the banks of the Rio Grande in Mission has accelerated due to Hurricane ... The privately built border fence is the subject of a lawsuit brought by the federal government and the National Butterfly Center. In 2010, Hurricane Alex caused widespread damage along the banks of the river, including at the National Butterfly Center, just upriver from Fisher’s fence. “We said it was too close to the water, erosion would be an issue, the location made no sense,” Patrick said.

DONNA, Texas – One of the nation’s first new sections of the border wall, not a replacement, is being built near Donna and will be unlike existing structures that are more than a decade old. “The new levee wall system is much better,” said Jason Montemayor, U.S. Border Patrol special operations supervisor with the Rio Grande Valley sector’s wall team. “They will not want to conduct business here in the Rio Grande Valley sector," he said. However, Scott Nicol, with the Lower Rio Grande Valley chapter of the Sierra Club and a longtime opponent of border walls, said what hasn’t changed is that many property owners continue to fight eminent domain. He said the fact that the disputes over border walls have persisted over the years “tells me people just don’t understand what walls do.”For those pushing for more border walls, “It’s strictly a political issue for them,” Nicol said.

Anzaldua said he predicts that if the Rio Grande has major floods, what’s left of the adjacent riverbank, possibly the wall itself, and even part of his property, will be swept downriver. “It’s just a matter of time.”Brian Kolfage, who raised $25 million in GoFundMe donations for the We Build the Wall project, said he’s “100% confident” that won’t happen. He said the riverbank has been grated at a gradual downward slope that will have special sod planted to help prevent erosion. He said that’s also why the new wall won’t have a metal plate at the top as an “anti-climb feature," because it could act as a sail in the wind, knocking down the structure. But as for the Anzaldua family’s concerns, Anzaldua said, “We don’t have the money to fight these people until they do the damage.”

STARR COUNTY, Texas – Ruperto Escobar is the first to admit his stance on the border wall is controversial and unpopular. Escobar admits he doesn't believe a border wall will end illegal activity but he's hopeful it'll slow it down. That barrier is going to slow them down enough to where our (Border Patrol) agents can catch them a lot easier," Escobar said. AdIf a wall isn't built, Escobar said he and his neighbors will continue to have problems with people trespassing on their property. Escobar said surveyors have come out to his land to see if a border wall is possible on his property.

MISSION, Texas – The La Lomita chapel has been serving the faithful on both sides of the border since 1865. He's been preaching and delivering God's message for over 25 years at Our Lady Of Guadalupe Catholic Church, while also spending much of his time visiting the quaint and historic South Texas Chapel. The fear now is that the chapel may find itself isolated between President Donald Trump's border wall and Mexico. Snipes admits not everyone crossing over is doing so with good intentions, but he doesn't think a wall would slow them down. "If you could tell me that this wall could stop (ill-intentioned immigrants), I'd still say, 'Well, that's a damn shame,'" Snipes said.

(3:50 p.m.) The U.S. Border Patrol in El Paso gave KSAT a tour on the south end side of the border wall, steps away from Ciudad Juaréz, Mexico. It’s right there too but much smaller than what most people in Rio Grande Valley are used to seeing. (11:02 p.m.) Before KSAT travels six hours west from El Paso, Texas, to Nogales, Arizona, the U.S. Border Patrol's West Texas Sector shared information regarding its region. Agent Joe Romero, a spokesman for the Border Patrol, said West Texas agents patrol the largest border metroplex in the nation of more than 260 miles. Romero said the sector has to deal with both the El Paso and Ciudad Juaréz communities, which have a combined population of nearly 3 million people.