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Battle over border wall construction in Rio Grande Valley continues

Battle over border wall construction in Rio Grande Valley continues
3 years 4 months 2 weeks ago Friday, July 16 2021 Jul 16, 2021 July 16, 2021 7:25 AM July 16, 2021 in News - Local

While the Biden administration wants to rebuild the levees that were breached for border wall construction, Gov. Abbott wants border wall construction to start back up again as soon as possible.

Gov. Abbott's plans are direct, and on Wednesday, his general land commissioner didn't mince words.

“So I want to be clear to Mr. Biden this morning: We will see you in court,” said George P. Bush.

Through a lawsuit filed at the federal courthouse in McAllen, the state argues the president should continue to use designated funds for border wall construction.

RELATED: Bush lawsuit over border wall draws mixed reactions from Starr County residents  

“That's part of the Republican playbook in Texas, is suing a Democratic federal government," said Mark Jones, a political science professor at Rice University.

Some experts say George P. Bush is trying to attract more Republican voters in Texas. Bush announced earlier this year he’s challenging Attorney General Ken Paxton in 2022.

"Abbott's border wall scheme is a page straight out of the we build the wall playbook,” said National Butterfly Center Director Marianna Treviño-Wright.

Treviño-Wright says Abbott's plans to build a border wall are similar to the privately-built wall in Mission.

READ ALSO: Texas land commissioner sues the Biden administration over stalled border wall  

In Zapata County, the sheriff met with Abbott to ask for more resources on the border.

The local Republican Party leader says even with Falcon Lake creating a natural barrier between the U.S. and Mexico, some vulnerable spots could benefit from a border wall.

"A lot of the land owners down here are seeing damages, thefts, trespassing in their property,” said Zapata County Republican Party Chair Jennifer Thatcher.

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