EAGLE PASS, Texas – A federal appellate judge has issued a ruling that temporarily halts the removal of razor wire barriers from the Texas border as the legal battle between the state and the federal government continues.

The ruling came as a response to a dispute over the barriers installed by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott as part of Operation Lone Star in September. The state’s efforts to prevent the federal government from dismantling the barriers have been met with opposition, with the federal government ordering the removal of the barriers.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton expressed pleasure with the ruling, stating that it prevents federal agents from destroying the concertina wire fences established by the state. Paxton, along with Gov. Abbott, have been critical of President Biden’s border policy, alleging that it is contributing to an “ongoing disaster” at the southern border.

The legal battle has seen a series of legal maneuvers by both the state and the federal government, with a federal appellate judge dismissing some of the state’s claims, but acknowledging that the state had a strong case for keeping the barriers in place for the time being.

The court ruled that Texas had the right to place the barriers on its land and that its case had a “strong likelihood of success” in the ultimate legal decision. However, the ruling did not address the federal government’s authority over border enforcement, leaving the larger questions unresolved.

In a balancing act between state and federal powers, the ruling reflects the complexities and conflicts present in the ongoing dispute over the Texas border barriers, as the legal battle continues to unfold.