Border Wall

Texas officials suggested the federal government could pick up construction. However, during President Trump's first term, his administration built about one-third of what the state was able to put up in the same amount of time.

Some Texas lawmakers including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick slammed the Biden administration over the auction of wall materials. But the sale was directed by Congress — and Texas has already bought some of it.

This week on Texas Matters —Governor Greg Abbott unveils a new border security strategy. How the state’s multi-billion-dollar border wall is failing. And a Texas town is recovering from a police chief who used his authority to sexually abuse young girls.

At least a third of landowners approached by state officials have refused to let wall be built on their properties. That’s forced the state to largely build on ranchland in remote areas, or erect sections that are full of gaps.

The state has built about 34 miles of wall spread out across at least six counties on Texas’ 1,254-mile border with Mexico.

Governor Greg Abbott issued a “Statement on Texas’ Constitutional Right to Self-Defense,” following calls by numerous Republican lawmakers to resist the high court’s order, including three state representatives from Houston.

The action in the upper chamber followed a committee hearing where the developer of a neighborhood called Colony Ridge, outside Houston, had to push back yet again against claims his property was attracting dangerous immigrants and running rampant with crime.

The border wall construction will take place across Starr County, including in a Lower Rio Grande Valley wildlife refuge.

Five tractor trailers loaded with the four-foot diameter buoy balls arrived Friday in Eagle Pass. When assembled, they will make a thousand-foot-long obstacle for migrants crossing the Rio Grande.

The book chronicles the story of two unaccompanied migrant children as they make the dangerous journey to the U.S. Children's author and illustrator Erika Meza shares the inspiration behind the book and why she thought it was important to shed light on the topic.