Texas officials ignored warnings from the International Boundary and Water Commission about the installation of buoys in the Rio Grande and wire along the banks, violating federal law and a U.S.-Mexico treaty, Aarón Torres and Todd J. Gillman report in an exclusive in The Dallas Morning News. 

The warnings date as far back as December, before construction began on the barrier, they report. The commission had communicated these concerns to Texas agencies repeatedly, noting the need for federal permission before constructing barriers on federal land or along the river. Criticism of the buoys has escalated after recent drownings. 

Separately, the Border Patrol had to dispel a rumor that the southern border would be open to all asylum-seekers on Tuesday after the false information was spread by transnational criminal organizations, writes Julian Resendiz of Border Report. And at the Arizona border with Mexico, Camilo Montoya-Galvez of CBS News takes a look at a jump in arrivals despite extreme heat. 

Welcome to Wednesday’s edition of The Forum Daily. I’m Dan Gordon, the Forum’s strategic communications VP, and the great Forum Daily team also includes Karime Puga, Clara Villatoro, Ashling Lee and Katie Lutz. If you have a story to share from your own community, please send it to me at [email protected].  

REPERCUSSIONS — Florida's new immigration law has sparked apprehension and uncertainty among immigrants, as well as among medical providers and businesses, reports Natalia Jaramillo of the Orlando Sentinel. One concern is a provision under which hospitals must collect and submit data on undocumented patients, raising fears of going to the hospital. And business owners are concerned about labor shortages as immigrants leave the state. Such departures also affect Florida students, some of whom are experiencing confusion and sadness around the departure of friends, Keely McCormick of ABC Action News reports. 

WORK PERMITS NEEDED — Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey (D) declared a state of emergency as the state’s shelter system is reaching capacity to house migrants arriving without work authorization, reports Gabrielle Emanuel of WBUR. "We need action to remove barriers and expedite federal work authorizations. We need action and intervention for funding to help us in this time," Healey said. New York City continues to face similar challenges, as John Yang discussed on PBS News with NPR’s Jasmine Garsd. Note: Congress could help by passing the bipartisan Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act of 2023.  

CATCH-22 — Undocumented immigrants in Wisconsin, crucial to the dairy industry, face a catch-22 as they are allowed to own and register vehicles but risk fines, arrest, and/or deportation if caught driving them, write Melissa Sanchez and Maryam Jameel of ProPublica. "It’s basically a human need issue," said Randy Roecker, a third-generation dairy farmer. "They need to be able to drive to go get groceries, the bank, the doctor, but yet they feel they can’t because they’re afraid they’re gonna get picked up all the time." 

LABOR CONCERNS — Will there be enough workers to make semiconductor chips in the U.S. following the landmark CHIPS and Science Act? Ben Werschkul of Yahoo Finance is the latest to raise the question. Efforts to recruit young workers and provide training might not be enough, which could "offer new urgency to Washington’s immigration debate and controversial efforts to allow more foreign workers into the U.S.," Werschkul writes. Speaking of labor needs, Kip Eideberg of the Association of Equipment Manufacturers shared his industry’s need for immigration reforms with RFDTV on Monday, following his recent op-ed in The Hill. 

Thanks for reading, 

Dan