Floating barrier wall in Rio Grande nearing completion

The floating barrier wall in the Rio Grande River is nearing completion work started over the weekend. Governor Greg Abbott says it is a way to stop immigrants from crossing into Eagle Pass, Texas. Fox's Stephen Dial reports on tonight's process and possible lawsuits. The installation of a floating barrier wall in the Rio Grande is expected to be completed by the end of this week. Governor Greg Abbott says it's to stop immigrants from crossing into Eagle Pass, Texas. DPS Lieutenant Chris Olivera spoke to Fox News about the progress this week. The river is very dangerous, so now having this marine barrier in place in the middle of the river will deter any unlawful crossings, will prevent drownings, and also will prevent human smugglers from bringing people across the river into the country illegally. One thousand feet of marine barrier is being put in the middle of the river, about the length of three football fields. A common question asked to Fox 4 is couldn't someone just swim under the barrier? Olivera says that the buoys are four feet in diameter and one foot underwater, making it difficult for someone to go under or over it. Prevent drownings. During the Fourth of July weekend holiday, we as a state recovered four bodies, including an infant child, from drowning. And again, right now the river is very dangerous, the water level is very high. There has been criticism of Operation Lone Star since it started. Now with the floating barrier being installed, there has been at least one lawsuit filed against the state. We talked to former federal prosecutor John Helms. The whole idea of the challenge is going to be that it is the responsibility and the duty and the prerogative of the federal government to decide how our borders are protected. And so if the Biden administration doesn't seem to care, just seems to want to let it happen, then I think that that's a pretty good answer to that question. Olivera says news of the lawsuit is not stopping their plan. We felt that criticism and even not with this, but it's not going to stop what we're doing. We have to do something to secure the border. The federal government has not done anything in the past two years.