The island, situated in the Rio Grande between the United States and Mexico, has been a hub for human traffickers and criminal cartels, as reported by the GLO.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has refused to comply with a request from a federal agency to restore Fronton Island to its “pre-construction conditions” after Texas took steps to secure the island from cartels.
The International Boundary and Water Commission (USIBWC) had requested the removal of obstructions like the concertina wire fence to allow water flow back to its previous state north of the island.
Abbott, in a letter to President Biden and Vice President Harris, stated that he would not give in to the demand as he was not willing to hand over state land to criminal cartels smuggling people, weapons, and drugs.
He explained that cartels had been using the island’s vegetation and structures to carry out illegal activities, prompting Texas to deploy the Texas Military Department to secure the island.
Efforts were made to clear the dense vegetation and structures built by the cartels, and razor-wire fencing was installed to prevent unauthorized entry and gain control of the island.
In April 2024, the USIBWC ordered the GLO to return Fronton Island to its original state, citing potential violations of a 1970 Treaty that set the international boundary between Mexico and the United States.
Abbott defended Texas’ actions, stating that the alterations made were necessary to prevent criminal activities on the island and that they posed less threat to river flows than the cartels’ previous actions.
The U.S. Section of the International Boundary and Water Commission and the White House have been contacted for comments. Can you rewrite this sentence?
Source link
