Overview

• A federal appeals court has ordered Texas to move a floating barrier on the Rio Grande that was installed to prevent migrants from entering the U.S. illegally.
• The decision is a setback for Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s aggressive measures to stop illegal immigration.
• The court sided with a lower court decision from September, which Texas had appealed.
• The Biden administration had sued Texas over the barrier, arguing it violated federal laws protecting navigable waters.
• Gov. Abbott has vowed to seek a rehearing and is prepared to take the case to the Supreme Court if necessary.