The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday filed a lawsuit against Gov. Greg Abbott and demanded the removal of a floating barrier that was installed across the Rio Grande.
The DOJ demanded (pdf) that the Texas government remove the barrier and pay for it, saying that the move was illegal and done without federal oversight.  Texas, the federal agency argued, circumvented the federal Rivers and Harbors Act by not consulting first with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
“We allege that Texas has flouted federal law by installing a barrier in the Rio Grande without obtaining the required federal authorization,” Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta said Monday in a news release about the lawsuit. “This floating barrier poses threats to navigation and public safety and presents humanitarian concerns. Additionally, the presence of the floating barrier has prompted diplomatic protests by Mexico and risks damaging U.S. foreign policy.”…