The floating border barrier in the Rio Grande must be removed, a federal judge rules

A barrier to deter migrants from crossing from Mexico into the U.S. floats in the Rio Grande at Eagle Pass, Texas. (Guillermo Arias/AFP via Getty Images)

A federal judge in Texas has ruled that a controversial floating border barrier in the Rio Grande River violates federal law and must be removed.

U.S. District Judge David Ezra ruled that the 1,000-foot-long string of large buoys and saw blades in Eagle Pass, Texas, was ordered deployed by Gov. Greg Abbott without proper federal authorization.