Gov. Greg Abbott visited the South Texans’ Property Rights Association’s annual meeting in Corpus Christi Thursday evening, delivering remarks on border security and the Texas economy.
Abbott referred to South Texas as “the tip of the spear,” the first communities that many immigrants entering Texas illegally encounter. In 2023, Texas lawmakers approved a new program to compensate landowners for property damage caused by migrants, smugglers and drug traffickers.
Abbott told attendees that Texas has built more of “the Trump border wall” than former President Donald Trump built in the state while in office. Abbott described barriers made of concertina wire and floating buoy barriers in the Rio Grande, as well as how the federal government has opposed these measures.
The buoys sparked protest from the Mexican government, which said the barriers violated water treaties. The U.S. Justice Department also sued Texas over the buoys, arguing the barrier harms relations with Mexico, was installed without authorization from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and is a safety hazard. In July, an appeals court ruled the buoys could remain pending argument in district court.