Texas authorities have begun arresting immigrants who illegally crossed the Rio Grande into the United States in Eagle Pass, Texas.
The conflict escalated as state law enforcement took over the city's Shelby Park and armed officers prevented people, including federal Border Patrol agents, from entering.
Police officers announced Wednesday that they had begun arresting immigrants who entered the park, under a new state law that Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said would allow police to arrest and prosecute people suspected of entering the country illegally. This appears to be a preview.
“Officers are arresting an illegal alien on suspicion of trespassing at Shelby Park in Eagle Pass,” Lt. Chris Olivarez of the Texas Department of Public Safety wrote to X.
“Officers are cracking down on illegal trespassing of adult men and women. Texas remains proactive in curbing illegal border crossings between ports of entry.”
The number of arrests and whether apprehended immigrants had been turned over to federal authorities for processing were not immediately available Thursday.
Mr. Abbott's bill, which would make illegal immigration a national crime, was passed in December but is not expected to take effect until March. The Biden administration is expected to challenge it in court.
Homeland Security officials have fought access to Shelby Park in court, arguing that Mr. Abbott's actions prevent them from patrolling the park and providing emergency aid to immigrants in need. ing.
“Because the Border Patrol can no longer access or view this border, the State of Texas is making a “This effectively prevents them from conducting surveillance,” the motion states.
The situation came to a head last week when a mother and her two children drowned while trying to swim across the Rio Grande. Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar's first accusation came after he blamed the Texas Department of Military Affairs for the deaths and accused it of crowding out federal Border Patrol agents.
But it was later learned that Mexican authorities found a body on the riverbank, and that Texas National Guard troops in Shelby Park had been searching the river for signs of the stranded migrants after an alert was raised. They also treated two migrants crossing the border for hypothermia before turning them over to Border Patrol agents.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sent a strong rebuttal to a federal filing demanding access to parks and asserting the state's right to seal off areas.
His office insisted on keeping the park and its surrounding area accessible to migrants who risk risking crossing the park's banked river.
“The loss of life on the Rio Grande is tragic and preventable,” the application states.
“That is one of the reasons Governor Abbott ordered the installation of the concertina wire at issue in this case. As the district court found after extensive evidence from all parties.” The wires act as a deterrent to people attempting to commit criminal acts.” Cross the river and instead sail them to a safe and legal port of entry.
A judge will ultimately decide whether Texas officials can continue to erect the fence.
More than 81,000 migrants surrendered to border officials in October and November in the Del Rio area, which includes the Eagle Pass lie.
At least 302,000 people attempted to enter the United States in the following month, setting a record for migrant encounters at the southern border.
