The U.S. Supreme Court issued an order Monday requiring Texas to allow federal border agents access to the state's border with Mexico, where Texas authorities have installed extensions of barbed wire. The ruling, which overturned a preliminary injunction by the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, effectively reinforces the long tradition that the Constitution assigns the federal government sole responsibility for border security.

According to an article published by the TexasTribune, the dispute began in October last year, when Texas sued the federal government after Border Patrol agents cut part of the wire stretched along the Rio Grande, alleging interference with the state’s border security efforts and destruction of property. The Supreme Court’s order allows federal agents to continue to address urgent humanitarian situations and enforce the law.

The court battle is part of the broader context of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s Operation Lone Star, which involved sending state troops to the border with Mexico, installing barbed wire and building border walls. The federal government, led by President Joe Biden, has disputed these actions, arguing that Texas' strategies make it harder and more dangerous for frontline agents to work.

“Since 2021, Abbott’s Operation Lone Star initiative has created tension between the state and federal government. Under the operation, Abbott has deployed state troopers across the 1,200 mile Texas-Mexico border; ordered state police to arrest migrants who are suspected of trespassing; spent $11 million to install 70,000 rolls of concertina wire along the Rio Grande; and spent $1.5 billion on about a dozen miles of border walls. As migrants have attempted to get through the wire, Border Patrol has cut through parts of the barrier to assist injured people. Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against DHS, claiming federal agents had illegally destroyed state property”.

The Supreme Court decision comes amid ongoing tension between the state and federal governments, reflecting disagreements over immigration issues. The White House statement hailed the order as an opportunity to address urgent humanitarian situations and enforce the laws, while also criticizing Texas' political actions, such as the installation of barbed wire, stating that these actions make the job more difficult and dangerous.

The Texas Tribune publication also mentions the difficulty in immigration reform in the U.S., pointing out that Congress has yet to reach a bipartisan agreement on the issue “as Republicans, and even some Democrats, continue to condemn the president’s handling of the border”.