Let's end another crazy week with some good and welcome news: U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) has begun the initial phase of what will eventually be a 500-mile long buoy system in the Rio Grande River designed to deter illegals from crossing into the United States.
CBP started dropping the massive orange buoys into the river this week – Border Patrol Chief Mike Banks called them "game changers." He also shared some beautiful video of the new system making a splash as it's being dropped in the water between the U.S. and Mexico:
Game Changers!
— Chief Michael W. Banks (@USBPChief) January 16, 2026
The Border Patrol’s first ever water buoy system hits the water! This is the initial phase of a 500+ mile deployment plan. We are using every tool in our arsenal to stop illegal crossings, disrupt criminals, and secure the border. pic.twitter.com/4yZTVfJlX1
This new buoy system is separate from the 2,000 foot-long string of round spheres placed in the Rio Grande by Texas back in 2023. The CBP spheres are huge cylinders that are closely linked – minimizing the chances that illegals can pass through them – and will eventually stretch 500 miles.
Banks explained the differences in the two systems:
We’ve created a way to create the same deterrence, or temporary deterrence, without having the disc in there. And so the system still works the same as far as how it sits on a ratchet system. As you try to climb up onto the buoys, they roll backwards, preventing you from climbing on. And then we’ve also found that using the more cylindrical instead of the circular, we get better flotation, which helps us maintain better control of the buoys. So what we’ve done is, over the last year, improved the buoy system that was being placed in the river in Texas under the state of Texas. They function the exact same way.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the buoys are part of the Smart Wall plan being rolled out by the Trump administration. "The buoys that you see here today behind me are ones that are made right in America by a family-owned company down the road here in Texas. CBP is working closely with our state of Texas and the U.S. International Boundary and Water Commission to make sure that the buoy barriers are installed properly and that they are going to last for many, many years to come."
SEE ALSO: ‘Early Detection': Trump Administration Looking to the Water to Stop Illegal Immigration
Noem added, "These very barriers will make it much harder for illegal aliens, drug smugglers, and human traffickers to cross the river and other waterways where they will be deployed."
RedState's Katie Jerkovich reported in December that the final hurdles had been cleared and all systems were go for the buoy system after the Biden administration, unsurprisingly, failed to take action on it.
Banks said the buoy barrier was initially planned during Trump’s first administration, but when former President Joe Biden took office, everything stopped.
The border patrol chief explained that the contracts were signed and they were prepared to “start deploying” the buoys, but the Biden administration decided they weren’t going to undertake that kind of infrastructure.
Banks said after he left the border patrol, he went to work for Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott as the Texas Border Czar. They worked on the buoy project, but just in the Lone Star state.
He said it worked great as a deterrent, and so this new barrier project will get underway soon.
So, while Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are clearing communities of illegals, CBP is busy preventing them from coming back in.
Editor’s Note: Thanks to President Trump, illegal immigration into our great country has virtually stopped. Despite the radical left's lies, new legislation wasn't needed to secure our border, just a new president.
Help us continue to report the truth about the president's border policies and mass deportations. Join RedState VIP and use promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your membership.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member