Biden administration asks Supreme Court to allow border agents to cut razor wire installed by Texas

The Biden administration is asking the Supreme Court to allow Border Patrol agents to cut razor wire that Texas installed on the US-Mexico border, while a lawsuit over the wire continues.

The Justice Department filed an emergency appeal on Tuesday, asking the justices to put on hold last month’s appellate ruling in favour of Texas, which forced federal agents to stop cutting the concertina wire the state has installed along roughly 30 miles (48km) of the Rio Grande near the border city of Eagle Pass. Large numbers of migrants have crossed there in recent months.

The court case pitting Republican-led Texas against Democratic President Joe Biden’s administration is part of a broader fight over immigration enforcement. The state also has installed razor wire around El Paso and the Rio Grande Valley, where migrants have crossed in high numbers.

Texas governor signs bill to allow arrest of migrants who enter US illegally

Texas Governor Greg Abbott also has authorised installing floating barriers in the Rio Grande near Eagle Pass and allowed troopers to arrest and jail thousands of migrants on trespassing charges.