Border Patrol agents in Texas installed additional concertina wire and fencing along the banks of the Rio Grande, the Justice Department said Friday, as Border Patrol agents continue their work in the busiest areas of the U.S.-Mexico border. He claimed that it was no longer possible to do so.
Friday's court filing continues a back-and-forth between Texas and the Department of Justice over the proper jurisdiction for border security. The federal government asked the Supreme Court last week to consider the disagreement.
Friday's filing says additional fencing installed Wednesday will prevent Border Patrol from accessing certain sections of the Rio Grande critical to border patrol missions along a 2.5-mile stretch near Eagle Pass, Texas. It is claimed that it has become.
The area includes a city park that includes the Border Patrol's main boat launch into the river and a staging area used to process apprehended migrants. The Justice Department said the Texas National Guard does not allow Border Patrol agents to use boat launches or staging areas.
“Texas' new actions since the government's filing mark an escalation in the state's actions to thwart the Border Patrol's ability to patrol and monitor the border and respond to emergencies,” the paper continues. There is.
The Justice Department also said the Texas National Guard blocked Border Patrol access to the border fence along normal access roads with fencing, barbed wire and parked vehicles.
“The Texas National Guard is currently blocking Border Patrol access to the area, preventing Border Patrol agents from deploying mobile surveillance trucks,” the filing states. “Border Patrol's ability to monitor this portion of the border is currently limited to a small area from a single surveillance camera installed outside the newly fenced area.”
A previous court order allowed the Border Patrol to remove fences and barbed wire in Texas only if necessary to provide life-saving aid. Federal prosecutors said the new lack of access made that impossible.
“Because Border Patrol can no longer access or view this border, Texas effectively prevents Border Patrol from monitoring the border and determining whether migrants are in need of emergency assistance.” says the submitted document. .
Federal prosecutors said in an appeal to the Supreme Court last week that the barbed wire and fences have had a “severe on-the-ground impact” on Border Patrol agents and migrants entering the United States.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) said Friday that the state government has the authority to control all land in the state.
“That authority is asserted,” he said.
The conflict between Texas and the federal government has escalated in recent months. Last summer, the state placed buoys in the Rio Grande to prevent crossings near Eagle Pass, leading to legal trouble. The buoy was later removed following a court order and complaints from the Mexican government.
Last month, Abbott SignA bill has been passed that would allow Texas law enforcement to make arrests at the border, an authority previously only held by the federal Border Patrol. The measure also allows local judges to order deportations, which the federal government is challenging.
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