The Trump administration plans to install about 900 miles of floating buoy barriers in the Rio Grande along Texas' southern border, a major expansion of a water-based border deterrent that has been the subject of years of legal and humanitarian debate.
U.S. Border Patrol Chief Mike Banks said construction is expected to begin in early 2026, with the first phase covering roughly 500 miles and a second phase adding another 400 miles.
Banks described the project as a "first line of defense" intended to prevent migrants from crossing the river into the United States and to speed agent response through added detection technology that alerts authorities to movement.
"I have never seen this much support from a president and a secretary," Banks said in an interview.
"The support is even greater than it was in his first administration, as he's continued to learn and grow in his understanding and knowledge on the border."
A White House spokesperson said in a statement: "There's no doubt that President [Donald] Trump has expeditiously delivered on his promise to secure our border.
"While Biden let criminal illegals pour into our country and complained he couldn't do anything to stop it, President Trump immediately proved him wrong, and the American people are safer for it.
"It's amazing what happens when you have a President who believes in empowering Border Patrol to do their job," the spokesperson said.
The project carries an estimated cost of $500 million and is funded through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed into law by Trump in July.
Administration officials have pointed to steep declines in illegal crossings this year as evidence that tougher enforcement and expanded barriers are working, with the Department of Homeland Security highlighting record-low encounter figures and outside reporting citing a 55-year low in unlawful crossings.
The buoy plan would extend from near the Gulf by Brownsville westward along the Rio Grande, according to Banks.
The system will not be installed in shallow stretches, and officials said the placement can be adjusted as river conditions change.
Texas became a testing ground for buoy barriers in 2023, when Gov. Greg Abbott ordered a shorter floating barrier placed near Eagle Pass as part of the state's border initiative.
The Biden administration sued, arguing Texas lacked federal authorization to place an obstruction in a navigable waterway and did not secure required approval tied to international boundary management.
The case moved through federal court, and the dispute amplified concerns about safety risks, including the potential for drownings, as well as questions over federal authority in border enforcement.
Republicans have praised the federal expansion as a long-sought deterrent.
Abbott and other GOP leaders have argued that river barriers, fencing, and technology are necessary to stop smugglers and discourage dangerous crossings.
Critics counter that water barriers can push migrants into more perilous terrain and that the money would be better spent on domestic needs, including healthcare and border processing capacity.
Civil rights advocates and some local officials have also urged the federal government to prioritize humanitarian safeguards and coordination with Mexico, given the river's status as a shared boundary.
The administration's move is likely to intensify the broader political battle over immigration, an issue expected to remain central heading into the 2028 elections.
Federal officials say the buoy project will complement other border measures, including surveillance technology and increased consequences for illegal entry, while opponents argue it signals a continued emphasis on infrastructure and deterrence over longer-term policy changes.
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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