'Hold The Line': Gov. Abbott Sends Defiant Message To White House After Supreme Court Ruling On Border

On Monday, the Supreme Court ruled in a 5-4 vote that the federal government has the authority to remove barriers placed along the border by the state of Texas that were meant to dissuade migrants from entering the United States illegally. The decision will now allow Border Patrol agents to cut razor wire deployed by the Texas National Guard as a part of Gov. Greg Abbott's (R-TX) Operation Lone Star. In response, the Texas governor said that the fight "is not over" and that he would "hold the line" to defend Texans.

The justices that voted in favor of the federal government include Justices Kentanji Brown Jackson, Elena Kagan, Sonia Sotomayor, Amy Coney Barrett, and Chief Justice John Roberts. Both Roberts and Barrett are Republican appointees, and the Trump-appointed Barrett, in particular, has faced considerable backlash from conservatives online. Those who voted in favor of the state of Texas include Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Brett Kavanaugh, and Neil Gorsuch.

"This is not over. Texas' razor wire is an effective deterrent to the illegal crossings Biden encourages," the governor wrote on X/Twitter. "I will continue to defend Texas' constitutional authority to secure the border and prevent the Biden Admin from destroying our property."

The governor also reposted a message from Texas Department of Public Safety Spokesman Chris Olivarez, who wrote, "The State of Texas, under Gov. [Greg Abbott] 's Operation Lone Star, will maintain its current posture in deterring illegal border crossings by utilizing effective border security measures - reinforced concertina wire & anti-climb barriers along the Rio Grande. The logical concern should be why the Federal Government continues to hinder Texas' ability to protect its border, all while allowing for the exploitation, dangerous, & inhumane methods of permitting illegal immigrants, including children, to illegally cross a dangerous river where many have lost their lives. Texas is the only state using every strategy & resource to protect its sovereignty, combat criminal activity, & discourage illegal immigration. Texas will continue to hold the line."

Attorney General Ken Paxton (R-TX) also told citizens of the Lone Star State that he would continue to advocate for Texas sovereignty via the courts. "The Supreme Court's temporary order allows Biden to continue his illegal effort to aid the foreign invasion of America," he wrote. "The destruction of Texas's border barriers will not help enforce the law or keep American citizens safe. This fight is not over, and I look forward to defending our state's sovereignty."

While the Supreme Court decision is a significant blow to Texas' efforts to secure the southern border, Texas could still come out on top of the issue. The ruling allows Border Patrol agents to remove razor-wire only temporarily while the merits of the case are being heard in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, which is set to hear the merits of the case on February 7, as reported by The Daily Wire. 

As millions of illegal migrants come across the border every year under the Biden administration's open border policies, Texas leaders have done everything in their power to attempt to protect American sovereignty. Gov. Abbott should continue to hold the line and ensure that the state of Texas is able to enforce the law while the federal government stands idly by.

You can follow Sterling on X/Twitter here.