Razor wire is spooled along the banks of the Rio Grande River in areas the International Boundary and Water Commission warned are under federal jurisdiction. Credit: Michael Karlis
In yet another potential legal snag for Gov. Greg Abbott’s border crackdown, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is investigating a recent string if migrant drownings near Eagle Pass, an agency source told the Houston Chronicle.

It remains unclear precisely what prompted the probe, according to the Chronicle report. However, three migrants — a 21-year-old female, 19-year-old male and an unidentified individual — washed ashore in Eagle Pass after trying to cross the Rio Grande on Saturday.

In the past week, another 10 migrants have drowned near Eagle Pass while trying to cross the river, which is unusually high due to recent rains, the Chronicle reports.

Abbott’s press office was unavailable for immediate comment on the federal investigation.

CBP’s inquiry is just the latest legal headache for Abbott’s $4.5 billion border crackdown, Operation Lone Star.

Abbott and the feds have been engaged in a back-and-forth court battle over a floating buoy barrier deployed this summer near Eagle Pass. Last month, the governor sued the Biden Administration, alleging CBP agents were cutting razor wire deployed along the banks of the Rio Grande as part of Operation Lone Star.

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This article appears in Nov 15-28, 2023.

Michael Karlis is a multimedia journalist at the San Antonio Current, whose coverage in print and on social media focuses on local and state politics. He is a graduate of American University in Washington,...