Texas lines New Mexico border with razor wire

The state of Texas has started installing razor wire along the border with New Mexico in an effort to curb illegal immigration. Fencing is going up between the two states, as well.

The move comes as illegal immigrants flood through the US-Mexico border in record-breaking numbers, and with no enforcement in sight due to the Biden administration's open border policies, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says he has directed the state National Guard to "fortify" the border.

“Our barriers around El Paso forced the migrants crossing illegally to enter into New Mexico. They then entered into El Paso from there. To end that, we are building a barrier on the New Mexico border," Abbott said on X.

Over the past few weeks, Texas national guardsmen have been installing razor wire along the Rio Grande river to act as a deterrent for migrants hoping to cross into the US illegally. This comes shortly after the Biden administration thwarted the state's efforts on border security and directed federal agencies to cut wire installed at the border in Eagle Pass. 

The Texas National Guard released a statement to ABC News stating that the goal of the installation is to "prevent, deter, and interdict transnational criminal activity and illegal immigration."

"The Texas National Guard has heavily fortified the border in El Paso with 18 miles of concertina wire. We are now fortifying the border between Texas and New Mexico to block migrants who are entering New Mexico illegally and then crossing into Texas. The effort in El Paso was bolstered by the recent deployment of the Texas Tactical Border Force to El Paso. The Texas National Guard remains focused on operations to prevent, deter, and interdict transnational criminal activity and illegal immigration along the border," the department said in the statement.

Gov. Abbott has been asking for federal intervention at the US-Southern border since President Biden took office in 2021, in which more than 6 million migrants illegally entered the US, it is alleged. However, that number does not include the "gotaways" that are unaccounted for.

Abbott has threatened to approve the construction of the state's own border wall and has enacted legislation such as "Operation Lone Star," which is a border security initiative that approves the deployment of National guardsmen to the border.

Gov. Abbott has also transported more than 50,000 illegal immigrants on buses to sanctuary states across the US, such as New York and Chicago.