Supreme Court allows agents to cut razor wire at Texas-Mexico border

The US Supreme Court has ruled that border patrol agents can remove razor wire that has been installed by Texas officials along the US-Mexico border.

The 5-4 ruling on Monday temporarily pauses a lower court's ruling that forced the federal agents to stop cutting wire near Eagle Pass, Texas.

The fencing had been authorised by Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott.

The Biden White House requested that agents be allowed to continue cutting the wire, arguing it harms migrants.

Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined the court's three liberal justices to rule in favour of the White House request.

None of the judges offered an explanation for their votes.

Lawyers for the Biden administration say the wire restricts the ability of border agents to process migrants who have already arrived on US soil.

Mr Abbott's government has also installed buoys along the Rio Grande river, as part of a larger effort to deter illegal migration known as Operation Lone Star.

The Biden administration is challenging the buoys in a separate federal case.

The roughly 60-mile (96-km) razor fence has been criticised by Mexican officials as a violation of international law.

The Eagle Pass area, where the fencing and buoys are located, has seen about 270,000 migrant detentions this fiscal year.

Operation Lone Star also includes sending migrants in buses to Democratic-run cities.