A judge in Hidalgo County, Texas, granted a temporary restraining order that allegedly prevents We Build the Wall Inc. from working on a section of border wall, Jurist reports, and you’ll never guess the excuse — it’s butterflies.
A copy of the restraining order is available here. It was filed against We Build the Wall, founder Brian Kolfage and Neuhaus & Sons.
The temporary restraining order is for 14 days so the judge can decide if it should become a temporary injunction.
It seems the Butterfly Center was triggered by the wall, and it accuses We Build the Wall of “malice.” It says, in the filing:
Plaintiff has demonstrated that imminent and irreparable harm Will occur if this Temporary Restraining Order is not granted for Which there is no adequate remedy at law. The injuries and losses are continuing. The property and rights involved are unique and irreplaceable, so that it Will be impossible t0 accurately measure, in monetary terms, the damages caused by the Defendants’ conduct.
The Butterfly Center in its social media posts show it is on a mission in the town of Mission, Texas, to prevent the border from being secured.
The center’s leaders scheduled an anti-border wall sit-in today at Tres Laredos Park and is even offering community service hours and a free bus ride there for anyone who has been triggered by efforts to secure the border.
According to the group’s Facebook page, it is using the border wall to raise funds.
The Butterfly Center admits in a press release that the border wall would not be built on its property, but on land owned by Neuhaus & Sons, LLC near their property. The organization assets the construction of the wall is potentially illegal and they cite objections raised by the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC). They also assert the wall would redirect surface water.
The Butterfly Center and the judge may be flapping their wings against federal authorities.
The Department of Homeland Security last month waived environmental regulations in three counties, including Hidalgo, in order to expedite construction of 65 miles of new border wall, We Build the Wall said.
Kolfage on Thursday indicated the group was dropped from the lawsuit.
He tweeted, “@WeBuildtheWall dropped from federal TRO brought on by @NatButterflies @nababutterfly it will all unravel soon as it’s baseless claims are based on garbage from a group who enables cartels”.
https://twitter.com/BrianKolfage/status/1202720682372673537
– – –
Jason M. Reynolds has more than 20 years’ experience as a journalist at outlets of all sizes.
