Texas took control of a 47-acre municipal park in Eagle Pass on Wednesday evening under a state of emergency declared by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott to stem the flow of illegal aliens into the state. Shelby Park, which was previously privatized as part of Operation Lone Star, is adjacent to a high-traffic section of the Rio Grande where Abbott installed a floating wall.
Biden administration's disappointment.
Federal Border Patrol agents, like civilians and illegal aliens, are not allowed into the park.
exclude Remove remaining equipment and supplies.
“As caravans of migrants move through Mexico toward the U.S. border, we are making it clear that Texas is a difficult place to cross,” Abbott said.
Said Thursday evening.
The move took place a month later.
renewal Shortly after Abbott's border disaster declaration in May 2021, and just days after Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas made a shocking confession that federal immigration authorities had released more than 85% of illegal aliens in their custody. be.
Eagle Pass Mayor Rolando Salinas
I got it. In a video shared with Meta Wednesday evening, he said he received a call from Victor Escalon, South Texas regional director for the Texas Department of Public Safety, who indicated the state plans to take “full control” of the park. . Sure enough, just before midnight, a Humvee arrived and state officials blocked off the entrance to the park. report Texas Public Radio.
“They say their mission is to stop illegal aliens from entering Eagle Pass,” Salinas said at a news conference.
Press conference Thursday. “That's not what the city wanted, asked for, and asked for.”
Under the direction of DPS, Salinas reportedly signed his next contract.
affidavit Declared Shelby Park private property in June 2022, allowing the state to open the park to the public, install defensive wires and obstacles along the riverbank, and arrest illegal aliens caught in detours. .
The Eagle Pass City Council voted in August 2023 to revoke the affidavit, take the park away from Operation Lone Star and reopen it to the public, but Salinas reinstated the DPS license a month later.
signed the declaration The emergency surrounding the immigration crisis.
Salinas said Thursday he was told the state would manage the park “indefinitely” under the border disaster declaration.
Abbott spokeswoman Renae Eze said in a statement.
obtained The Hill reported, “Texas will add miles of razor wire and climbs to deter and repel record levels of illegal immigration caused by President Biden's reckless open border policies.'' We are maintaining our southern border with a barrier fence. Instead of enforcing federal policy, under immigration law, the Biden administration is allowing unfettered access for Mexican cartels to smuggle people into our country.”
“Texas will continue to deploy the Texas National Guard, DPS units, and more barriers, and President Biden will leverage all tools and strategies to respond to the ongoing border crisis,” Eze added.
the hill
shown Customs and Border Protection officials did not respond to requests for comment.
National Border Security Coalition
Said In a statement obtained by FOX News' Bill Melgin, “Governor Abbott is not hurting Border Patrol operations; he is increasing Border Patrol operations. Governor Abbott's action should be seen as a force multiplier, allowing state agents to be dispatched to troubled areas where escapees are common. ”
Texas Department of Military Affairs
said“The Texas National Guard has maintained a presence at Shelby Park since 2021 with security points and temporary fencing.The current posture is in place to prepare for a future surge in illegal immigration, including illegal immigration within the park and in Greater Eagle. The goal is to restrict access to organizations that perpetuate immigration crossings.'' ”
More than 300,000 illegal aliens were smuggled into the United States in December, the highest monthly figure ever.
report CBS News. This does not include this month's border crossings or the large number of migrants whose arrivals have already gone unreported. total This year, the number has exceeded 800,000.
The number of illegal aliens who entered the United States in fiscal years 2023, 2022, and 2021 was 2.47 million, 2.37 million, and 1.73 million, respectively.
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