WASHINGTON, July 24 (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department on Monday sued Texas over floating barriers installed by the state in the Rio Grande river to block migrants crossing from Mexico.
"This floating barrier poses threats to navigation and public safety and presents humanitarian concerns."
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court in the Western District of Texas, seeks "to remove all structures and obstructions, including a floating barrier and all infrastructure related to the floating barrier, in the Rio Grande," according to the court filing.
In recent months, National Guard troops have strung up razor wire to block migrants from crossing the Rio Grande.
The number of migrants caught crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally has dropped since Biden implemented a restrictive new asylum policy in May.
Persons:
Greg Abbott's, Vanita Gupta, Jaime Esparza, Abbott, Joe Biden, Biden, Eric Beech, Kanishka Singh, Tyler Clifford, Tim Ahmann, Bill Berkrot, Sonali Paul
Organizations:
U.S . Justice, Monday, Texas, Texas Republican, Lone Star, Western District of, Western, Democratic, Fox News, Biden, United States Supreme, National Guard, Thomson
Locations:
Rio, Mexico . Texas, Eagle, , Texas, Texas, U.S, Western District, Western District of Texas, Rio Grande, Mexico