Body spotted near Texas’ floating barriers in Rio Grande, Mexico says

MEXICO CITY — The Mexican government said Wednesday that a dead body has been spotted along the floating barriers that Texas Gov. Greg Abbott installed recently in the Rio Grande river, across from Eagle Pass, Texas.

Mexico’s Foreign Relations Department said authorities are trying to recover the body, and did not know the person’s nationality.

The department said Mexico had warned about the risks posed by the bright orange, wrecking ball-sized buoys on the Rio Grande. It also claims the barrier violates treaties regarding the use of the river, and violates Mexico’s sovereignty.

“We made clear our concern about the impact on migrant’s safety and human rights that these state policies would have,” the department said in a statement.

The barrier was installed in July, and stretches roughly the length of three soccer fields. It is designed to make it more difficult for migrants to climb over or swim under the barrier.

The U.S. Justice Department is suing Abbott over the floating barrier. The lawsuit filed Monday asks a court to force Texas to remove it. The Biden administration says the barrier raises humanitarian and environmental concerns.