US President Biden vs. Texas: More than a barbed wire dispute

For months, the Biden administration has been at loggerheads with the Texas governor over securing the U.S.-Mexico border. Now things are coming to a head — because it's more for Biden.

Barbed wire continues to be installed along the Rio Grande near the Texas border town of Eagle Pass – to keep out migrants. Texas is simply securing the border, the state's Republican governor, Greg Abbott, said on Fox News.

But with barbed wire already hurting immigrants, Abbott is defying a US Supreme Court decision. Earlier in the week, Supreme Court justices ruled by a five-to-four vote that the government, under President Joe Biden, could remove the wires by federal Border Patrol agents. A win for Biden.

But Abbott denied federal officials access to the area. He says Texas has the right to stop felons from coming to Texas. In principle, border security is the responsibility of the central government, but implementation is also the responsibility of central states.

Abbott has many supporters

Abbott accused him of allowing illegal immigrants — and therefore criminals — into the country. And Abbott has support. 25 of 26 Republican governors have pledged their support to Abbott in a letter. South Dakota Gov. Christie Nome told Fox News that Abbott is doing the right thing. If he needs more barbed wire, he will send some from South Dakota if needed.

A years-long dispute between Republicans and Democrats over US immigration laws has come to a head during the election campaign. This is a key issue for Donald Trump. The former president announced a few days ago that he would close the border and stop the invasion on the first day.

Also decided on aid to Ukraine

Trump knows how important immigration control is to his supporters. Under no circumstances does he want Democrats and Republicans in Congress to agree on a deal negotiated in the Senate aimed at curbing illegal immigration. Trump fears that Biden will sell this as a victory for himself.

Biden is now again appealing to Congress to approve the deal, which includes new aid to Ukraine. Biden's statement said the Senate's immigration proposals represent a “tough and fair package of reforms to secure the border.”

His spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre had previously said that was the choice of Republicans in the House of Representatives. They have to decide whether to solve a problem.

Biden has now insisted that the compromise deal would give him new emergency powers as president to close the border if it becomes overloaded. That would convince Republicans in the House of Representatives and — against Trump's wishes — that it is unlikely they will agree to a deal after a possible deal in the Senate. And Texas Governor Abbott is unlikely to be impressed either. For now, the barbed wire along the banks of the Rio Grande remains in place.