A strongly worded letter from the Department of Homeland Security to the state of Texas requests access to the U.S.-Mexico border on land seized by the state in Eagle Pass. DHS officials asked the state to cease and desist efforts to prevent Border Patrol access in and around Shelby Park and “remove all barriers to access” by the end of January 17. commanded.
“Texas' actions are clearly unconstitutional and actively interfere with the operations of the federal government,” DHS General Counsel Jonathan E. Meyer wrote in a letter to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. I mentioned it inside. “We call on the State of Texas to cease efforts to prevent Border Patrol access in and around the Shelby Park area and to remove all barriers to access within the Shelby Park area.” Lawyers have set a deadline of January 17th.
“With recent actions by the State of Texas, thwarted (emphasis added) Border Patrol operations. “These actions conflict with the Border Patrol's powers and duties under federal law and are preempted under the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution,” Meyer said.
The DHS General Counsel's use of the word “thwarted” is a criminal offense against Texas state agents and personnel enforcing Governor Abbott's orders to secure Shelby Park and prevent Border Patrol access to the area. May imply threat of lawsuit. .
Based on federal law 18 U.S.C. 111it is a federal crime to “obstruct” or “interfere” with certain federal officers or employees.
“Any person who, while engaged in official business or by reason of the performance of official duties, forcibly assaults, resists, opposes, obstructs, threatens, or obstructs any person specified in section 1114 of this title shall be fined $5,000. “Shall be punished by a fine of not more than three years or more, or both,” according to state law sentencing guidelines.
Breitbart Texas reached out to DHS, CBP, and Border Patrol for clarification on the use of the word “thwarted” and whether this qualifies as a threat of criminal prosecution. No response was received by press time.
On the night of January 11, the Texas Department of Military Affairs occupied Shelby Park in Eagle Pass and expelled Border Patrol agents, Breitbart Texas reported.
Border Patrol officials told Breitbart Texas that Texas National Guard troops quickly moved into Shelby Park in Eagle Pass on Thursday. Guards erected a fence around the park and instructed Border Patrol agents to leave the area.
The next night, a Mexican immigrant woman and her two young children drowned in the Rio Grande near Shelby Park. Mexican authorities rescued other migrants and recovered the bodies of three drowned migrants.
Biden administration officials and U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) blamed Gov. Abbott's decision to ban Border Patrol agents from the park for the drownings. Mr Abbott responded by calling his claims “completely inaccurate”.
According to a timeline provided by the Texas Department of Military Affairs on Sunday, the Border Patrol's request to enter the park came after a drowning of a migrant had already occurred and the body of a family was pulled from the water by Mexican authorities, Breitbart reported. Reported by Randy Clark. A CBP official confirmed the possible timeline to Breitbart, Texas, saying, “Most likely they were already drowning. There was a lot of movement trying to get state authorities access to the phone, and it took a while. I did.”
However, the DHS letter continues to assert the claim that access to the park contributed to the migrants' drownings. Meyer writes:
On January 12, 2024, after learning from Grupo Beta, a group affiliated with Mexico's National Migration Institute, that a group of migrants were attempting to cross the river, the Border Patrol contacted Texas authorities and asked them to enter the border. requested. Texas refused. A rescue team from Mexico was then able to extract two people from the group who showed signs of hypothermia. Three people drowned. Texas has demonstrated that it will not allow Border Patrol to enter its border to conduct law enforcement or emergency response operations, even under the most dire circumstances.
In what appears to be a response to the DHS letter, Governor Abbott posted on X: Texas will continue to use every means possible to deter illegal immigration. ”
Breitbart Texas reached out to the Texas Governor's Office for clarification of the state's position on the language in the DHS letter. There was no immediate response.
bob price He is an associate editor and senior news contributor on the Breitbart Texas Border Team. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team.Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston What is your point? sunday morning talk show.He is also the president of blue wonder cancer care products. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX.
