EAGLE PASS, Texas — Since August of 2015, Epi’s Canoe and Kayak team has offered lessons and tours, but owner Jesse Fuentes believes that may now be in jeopardy.
"I love that river and and I love what it stands for. And it can't speak for itself. So I'm taking that opportunity to speak on behalf of Epi's and also on the Rio Grande River and the community," Fuentes said.
Last month, Governor Greg Abbott announced buoys would be placed in the Rio Grande to prevent migrants from crossing the border illegally.
"Now, having this barrier in place should be even more reason not to cross a river. So that's why the whole purpose is to go to the port of entry," Lt. Chris Olivares, of the Texas Department of Public safety, said.
KENS 5 got a first-hand look at the buoys being installed. The floating border wall run a thousand feet downstream, just south of International Bridge #2, in the same location where Fuentes held sessions.
"You want to you want to sponsor positivity, you want to be successful. And I've been doing it for the last seven years, and all of a sudden I've been denied access to that public boat ramp," Fuentes said. "And all of a sudden that island gets bulldozed. And I'm going, What are you guys doing? You have no authority. You're you're overreaching, you're overstepping it."
Fuentes is now suing the state of Texas, Gov. Abbott; Steve McCraw, director of the Department of Public Safety; and Maj. Gen. Thomas Suelzer, the Adjutant General of the Texas National Guard; to get the buoys out of the water.
Fuentes alleges his 14th Amendment rights have been violated, putting his livelihood, and the river’s ecosystem at risk.
"It not only shuts my business down, but it shuts me down emotionally, spiritually. I'm connected to that river. It's my culture, it's our history," Fuentes said.
The lawsuit asserts Governor Abbott doesn’t have the authority to install the buoys, and claims the buoys represent a “hateful policy that intends to create the impression that Mexican-immigrants and Mexican Americans living within the operation lone star zone are dangerous.”
"I could tell you what's more dangerous and what would impact somebody's business or anybody kayaking would be people crossing the river," Lt. Olivares said.
Fuentes added Operation Lone Star has already harmed his business, and has watched as Eagle Pass has become more militarized. He’s had to cancel events due to security around the Shelby Boat ramp. A tributary was also bulldozed where Fuentes said his boats exited the water.
"Nobody wants to get close because, I mean, there's armed guards there under the bridge. They're in the water. They're in the air. Not a very inviting environment. And that's not what I grew up with," Fuentes said.
"The past two years since we've been out here, we haven't seen anybody kayaking out here," Olivares said.
In response to the lawsuit filed in Travis County, Gov. Abbott tweeted “we will see you in court” and believes the suit will go all the way to the Supreme Court.
The lawsuit seeks to prevent the installation of the buoys until after the suit is decided.