Original Date Announced

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem issued a notice of determination that "it is necessary to waive certain laws, regulations, and other legal requirements to ensure the expeditious construction of barriers and roads in the vicinity of the international border in the state of Texas." Referencing apprehensions of "illegal entrants" into the U.S. and narcotics seizures in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) Sector, Noem determined that the area is an "area of high illegal entry." She waived certain statutory provisions on environmental protection and preservation of historical sites, as well as the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), among others, to allow for construction of physical barriers and roads in additional RGV Sector areas.

Trump 2.0 [ID #1835]

Subsequent Trump and Court Action

2025.07.03 CBP - DHS issues waiver to ensure rapid construction of waterborne barriers in Texas

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued a press release detailing DHS Secretary Noem's signing of a waiver for expeditious construction of approximately 17 miles of waterborne barrier in Texas.

Subsequent Trump and Court Action

2025.10.25 Coast Guard - Coast Guard launches Operation River Wall to control the border along the Rio Grande

The Coast Guard announced deployment of additional forces to the Rio Grande River in eastern Texas, beginning October 9, 2025, to strengthen border control. The initiative, called Operation River Wall, aims to "bolster" the Coast Guard’s efforts to secure and defend roughly 260 river miles forming the U.S.-Mexico border. The Coast Guard described the initiative as an "unprecedented commitment of Coast Guard personnel and resources to the Rio Grande region."

Subsequent Trump and Court Action

2026.01.07 Reported: Trump administration to add 500 miles of migrant-deterring buoys along Rio Grande - Texas Tribune

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem announced that DHS plans to install a floating marine barrier along a 500-mile stretch of the Rio Grande, beefing up deterrence efforts in the region. The marine barrier is made up of large floating buoys that can "measure up to 15 feet long and four to five feet in diameter" and are similar to the buoys that Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered installed along a section of the Rio Grande near Eagle Pass in 2023.

Subsequent Trump and Court Action

2026.01.07 Reported: DHS begins installing border buoys in Rio Grande - Border Report

Border Report reports that DHS has begun installing water buoy barriers in the Rio Grande. The Department plans to install 500 miles of buoys to deter migrants from crossing.