Justice Department sues Texas after Gov. Abbott refuses to remove floating barrier

A worker helps deploy a string of large buoys to be used as a border barrier at the center of the Rio Grande near Eagle Pass, Texas, on July 11. (Eric Gay/AP)

The Department of Justice has sued Texas Gov. Greg Abbott following the governor's refusal to remove a stretch of inflatable buoys on the Rio Grande, which sits between his state and Mexico.

The lawsuit accuses the state of violating the River and Harbors Act, which prohibits the placement of obstructions in the water without federal approval.