Officials in the Biden administration have vigorously pushed for policies that some argue could harm the United States. So it is worth celebrating when they fail.
On Tuesday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled in favor of Republican Governor Greg Abbott of Texas. The case concerned Abbott’s July 2023 decision to place a floating barrier in the Rio Grande River near Eagle Pass, Texas, aimed at curbing the illegal influx of immigrants into the United States.
The Biden administration, desperate to keep the border open, immediately sued Abbott. Citing the Rivers and Harbors Appropriation Act of 1899, federal officials demanded removal of the floating barrier.
A district court then granted a preliminary injunction against Texas, which the full appeals court stayed pending appeal.
In other words, the issue of whether Texas violated the RHA by unlawfully blocking navigable waters has been under judicial review for the past year.
The entire case, in fact, involves a degree of obvious diabolical deception.
It’s clear that the Biden administration is not particularly concerned about the RHA, and this is widely recognized. Federal officials sued Abbott not to protect river navigation, but rather to maintain an open border.
Still,