- Senator J.D. Vance introduces a bill to prevent the federal government from removing border fencing, targeting state-erected barbed wire within 25 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border.
- Vance expresses concern over the Supreme Court ruling in favor of President Biden, arguing that states should have the right to defend their territory if the president fails to act.
- Representative Mike Collins introduces a similar bill, titled The RAZOR Act, aiming to prohibit the removal of state-erected fencing by the federal government. Texas Governor Greg Abbott continues to defend the use of razor wire as an effective deterrent to illegal crossings.
Additional Coverage:
On Thursday, Senator J.D. Vance, a Republican from Ohio, introduced a bill that would prevent the federal government from removing fencing along the southern border. The proposed legislation specifically targets barbed wire or other fencing erected by state governments within 25 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border. This comes after the Supreme Court ruled in favor of President Joe Biden, allowing his administration to remove razor wire that the Texas government had put up to deter migrants.
In a statement, Senator Vance expressed concern over the Supreme Court’s ruling, stating that his bill would guarantee the right of each state along the border to defend its own territory. He argues that if President Biden fails to take action, the states should be allowed to handle the situation themselves. However, the bill does provide an exception for protective fencing that is intended to facilitate, rather than deter, illegal immigration. The attorney general can also intervene if there is clear evidence that a state erected protective fencing with the intention of facilitating illegal immigration.
Earlier this week, Representative Mike Collins, a Republican from Georgia, introduced a similar bill titled The Restricting Administration Zealots from Obliging Raiders (RAZOR) Act. Like Vance’s bill, it also aims to prohibit the federal government from removing state-erected fencing.
Texas has installed miles of concertina wire as part of Operation Lone Star, an initiative launched by Governor Greg Abbott in March 2021 to secure the southern border. However, the Biden administration has been removing these barriers, arguing that they impede their ability to manage the border. Governor Abbott has strongly disagreed, stating that the razor wire is an effective deterrent to illegal crossings and that he will continue to defend Texas’ constitutional authority to secure the border.