It's almost noon in Eagle Pass, Texas.
A standoff between federal authorities and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has reached a climax in the besieged border town, with the Department of Homeland Security demanding access to a park filled with migrants.
Mr. Abbott further escalated the conflict this week, ordering the Texas National Guard to erect new fencing in and around the area to prevent border officials and anyone else from entering.
The Department of Homeland Security broke the bet in a court filing Friday and requested access to the park.
“Because the Border Patrol can no longer access or view this border, the State of Texas is restricting legally authorized Border Patrol agents from monitoring the border to determine whether migrants need emergency assistance.” in effect blocking it,” the motion states.
Eagle Pass Mayor Rolando Salinas warned reporters this week that there was no advance notice and that he opposes the move.
“The City of Eagle Pass played no role in the State of Texas' decision to take over Shelby Park,” he wrote on Twitter, later adding that he is considering all legal options available to him to take back control. .
The park, which borders the Rio Grande, is filled with migrants who have crossed the river that separates Mexico and the United States.
Mr. Abbott has increasingly criticized the Biden administration for being slow to curb the flow of illegal immigrants into the state.
He defended the takeover of the 50-acre site at an unrelated news conference Friday.
“The state of Texas has the legal authority to regulate trespass to any geographic location within the state of Texas,” Abbott told reporters.
Mr. Abbott's press secretary said Thursday that Texas is being forced to fill a security vacuum created by the White House.
“Texas will continue to deploy the Texas National Guard, DPS units and more fencing, leveraging all tools and strategies available to President Biden to respond to the ongoing border crisis,” Renae Eze said. Ta.
A Texas National Guard spokesperson said the annexation was justified given the porous nature of the southern border.
“The Texas National Guard has been stationed at Shelby Park since 2021 with security points and temporary fencing.The current posture is designed to prevent any future surge in illegal immigration, including illegal immigration within the park and throughout Eagle Pass. and restricting access to organizations that perpetuate migrant crossings,” a department spokesperson said in an email.
In a December decision, an appeals court barred federal authorities from removing a concertina fence installed by Texas authorities in Eagle Pass.
A DHS filing on Friday argued that the ruling exempts situations where a barrier prevents the provision of “emergency medical assistance.”
They argued that this week's addition of fencing violates that aspect of the ruling.
Additionally, it has been cut off from boat launches used by Border Patrol agents to monitor critical stretches of the Rio Grande.
Abbott's order marks “an escalation of state measures that inhibit the Border Patrol's ability to patrol and monitor the border and respond to emergencies,” the filing said.
DHS officials requested that the injunction be lifted to “restore access to the border that the Border Patrol is responsible for securing and to the migrants that it is responsible for apprehending, testing, and processing,” the U.S. attorney general said. Elizabeth Preloger wrote in the motion.
A video posted by Salinas showed entrances to the area blocked and military vehicles stationed inside to prevent entry.
The mayor noted that the closure would jeopardize special events and festivals scheduled to be held at the park in the spring, and said there was no timeline for reopening.
He could not be reached for comment Friday.
Eagle Pass has absorbed thousands of migrants in recent months, although illegal immigration into the United States from Mexico fell to 2,500 on Monday.
More than 81,000 migrants seeking a new life turned themselves over to U.S. authorities in the Del Rio area, where Eagle Pass is located, between October and November.
Since then, the border siege has only intensified, with a record 302,000 migrants per month being encountered. According to ABC sourcesmost of which are swept away into this country.
According to reports, the Department of Homeland Security confirmed that “more than 85%” of migrants apprehended at the southern border have been released into the United States. fox news.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas made the surprising admission Monday during a private meeting with border officials at the busy Eagle Pass crossing.
