Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) faces a lawsuit from a local business owner after installing buoys in the Rio Grande on Friday.
Epi’s Canoe & Kayak Team owner Jesse Fuentes filed a lawsuit hours after the buoys were deployed in the river, alleging his company “will be unable to conduct tours and canoe and kayak sessions in Eagle Pass because of the installation of the buoys,” which he claims “will result in imminent and irreparable harm.” Fuentes has operated his business since 2015, which is headquartered in Eagle Pass, which is directly across the river from Coahuila, Mexico.
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The lawsuit also takes aim at Abbott’s alleged misuse of the Texas Disaster Act, which the governor has employed to implement buoys, apprehend immigrants, and transport over 23,000 immigrants to Chicago, Washington, D.C., and New York City.
“The Governor proclaims to support law and order, yet he initiated Operation Lone Star without legal authority and seeks to install buoys to score political points without a legitimate public policy objective,” Fuentes’ attorney, Carlos E. Flores, said in a press release.
Even before the buoys were deployed, Fuentes claims the closure of Shelby Boat Ramp to non-law enforcement officials and the addition of an Operation Lone Star security guard post affected the revenue of his business. Now Fuentes is seeking a permanent injunction against the buoys.
“We will see you in court,” Abbott responded on Twitter late Friday. “And don’t think the Travis Co. Court will be the end of it. This is going to the Supreme Court. Texas has a constitutional right to secure our border.”
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Protesters gathered at the Rio Grande Friday, with signs decrying the buoys.
These buoys, at about 1,000 feet long, cost the state about $1 million. This comes from the $5.1 billion granted by the Texas legislature toward securing the border.
