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A federal appeals courtroom on Wednesday stopped the federal authorities from destroying a fence of razor wire that Texas put in alongside the U.S.-Mexico border close to Eagle Cross to discourage migrants from coming into the nation illegally.
The ruling, criticized by activists, got here hours earlier than Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum informed President-elect Donald Trump that immigrants headed to the U.S. are being “taken care of” in her nation.
Texas had positioned greater than 29 miles of wire within the Eagle Cross space by final September when Legal professional Basic Ken Paxton sued the Biden administration over Border Patrol brokers’ alleged unlawful destruction of state property by slicing the wire.
On Wednesday, the fifth Circuit Courtroom of Appeals in New Orleans issued a 2-1 opinion that reversed a decrease courtroom’s ruling and granted Texas a restricted preliminary injunction in opposition to the federal authorities.
“It was shocking to me that the federal government would go out of their way to cut razor wire to allow illegals to cross when we’re just trying to protect our own land,” Paxton mentioned throughout a Wednesday night look on Newsmax. “This wasn’t their land. This was our land, our private property. It had nothing due to the federal government. So this is a good win for Texas, a good win for the country, that this court recognized our ability to protect our land.”
The authorized dispute had not stopped Texas from putting in such razor wire in Eagle Cross, the place the state earlier this yr took over a municipal park, Shelby Park, in opposition to town’s needs.
“We continue adding more razor wire border barrier,” Gov. Greg Abbott wrote on X in regards to the appellate courtroom’s ruling Wednesday night.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Division of Homeland Safety didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
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Amerika Garcia Grewal, an organizer with the Eagle Cross Border Coalition, criticized Wednesday’s ruling and referred to as the wire “a tool of war, not a humane border control measure.”
“The long-term implications of this decision are dire,” Garcia mentioned. “It sets a dangerous precedent for using excessive force and disregarding human rights. We need to move towards a more humane and effective approach to border management.”
The ruling got here as tensions this week between Trump and Sheinbaum over a possible tariff battle appeared to chill. Trump threatened to enact a 25% tariff on items from Mexico when he takes workplace until Mexican officers stopped medicine, notably fentanyl, and undocumented migrants from crossing the border — although migrant apprehensions have declined this yr. Sheinbaum vowed to enact retaliatory tariffs if Trump made good on his risk.
Trump and Sheinbaum spoke Wednesday, the 2 leaders mentioned on social media, and mentioned the best way to stop migrants from reaching the U.S.-Mexico border in addition to the best way to scale back fentanyl consumption and demand for the drug in america.
“I had an excellent conversation with President Donald Trump,” Sheinbaum wrote on the social media web site X. “We discussed Mexico’s strategy on the migration phenomenon and I shared that caravans are not arriving at the northern border because they are being taken care of in Mexico.”
Trump referred to as the dialog “wonderful” and “productive” in a Fact Social put up Wednesday.
“She has agreed to stop Migration through Mexico, and into the United States, effectively closing our Southern Border,” Trump mentioned.
In a follow-up put up, Trump mentioned, “Mexico will stop people from going to our Southern Border, effective immediately. THIS WILL GO A LONG WAY TOWARD STOPPING THE ILLEGAL INVASION OF THE USA. Thank you!!!”
