WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Arrington issued a statement in response to the Biden Administration’s proposal to list the Mexican fawnsfoot mussel and the Salina mucket mussel as endangered. This proposal is in response to Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s placing of a buoy barrier in the Rio Grande River.
“While Biden has failed to use federal powers to secure the border, he has no problem weaponizing the government to prevent states from doing so in his absence. Where was Biden's U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s concerns when millions of migrants trampled the mussel’s “critical habitat” while illegally crossing the Rio Grande? Clearly, Biden is more concerned about disrupting the habitat of the Mexican mussels than disrupting the operations of Mexican cartels who are destroying the lives of Americans and migrants alike,” Arrington said. “Governor Abbott has the constitutional authority to secure the border and protect his citizens. He should pay no attention to Biden’s shell game.”
Background:
U.S. Last week, the Interior Department's U.S. Fish and wildlife Service announced a proposal to list two species of mussels - the Salina mucket and the Mexican fawnsfoot - as endangered under the Endangered Species Act.
A recent report found that these mussels are only found in a portion of the Rio Grande River from Eagle Pass toward the Gulf of Mexico - exactly the location where Texas Governor Abbott recently constructed a buoy barrier to prevent illegal immigrants from crossing over the US-Mexico border.
Biden's DOJ has also sued Governor Abbott over the newly installed floating barrier on the Rio Grande.
Rep. Arrington recently led his Texas colleagues in a press conference to defend Texas' right to secure the border and encourage Governor Abbott to do whatever necessary to protect Texans.
