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@FOX4The department says the floating barrier will deter people from attempting to cross the US-Mexico border through dangerous waterways.
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DHS Deploys 17-Mile Rio Grande Buoy Barrier, Eyes Wider Military Zones
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The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has signed a legal waiver permitting the rapid installation of a 17-mile floating barrier in the Rio Grande at Cameron County, Texas. The string of buoys, approved by DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, is intended to deter migrants from attempting to cross the river at a section the agency classifies as a “capability gap.” By invoking the waiver, the department can sidestep several environmental and regulatory requirements to accelerate construction.
The move comes as federal and local officials weigh a broader military presence along the South Texas border. Representative Henry Cuellar, who sits on the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, said Pentagon planners are assessing the creation of additional National Defense Areas that could extend into Webb, Zapata and Starr counties. According to Cuellar, Stryker armored vehicles and troops are already being sent to Laredo while the Army evaluates suitable public land for forward operating zones.
If approved, the new National Defense Areas would add to a growing network of military-administered zones along the U.S.–Mexico frontier, raising questions about landowner access and the extent of military involvement in immigration enforcement. DHS officials argue that both the buoy barrier and any future defense areas are necessary to curb river crossings and improve border security, while critics warn they further militarize a region already subject to heightened federal control.
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