Despite severe pushback from the Biden Administration, Gov. Greg Abbott’s Texas has pressed ahead with its policy regarding illegal immigration. In fact, Texas DPS officers were recently filmed arresting illegal immigrants and authorities were seen placing razor wire along the Eagle Pass border crossing to deter migrants from trying to cross.
As background, the Texas Military Department recently seized control of Shelby Park in Eagle Pass. It has since refused to let federal border authorities into the park, arguing that the state controlling it is necessary for the state to stop illegal immigration into Texas. Shelby Park had previously been used as a processing area for migrants. After Texas took the park over, Biden’s DHS then demanded that it back off and allow federal authorities to enter the area again.
In a letter firing back at the allegations made by DHS, Texas AG Ken Paxton said, “On behalf of the State of Texas, I write in response to your demand letter of January 14, 2024, in which you complain about how the Texas Military Department (TMD) recently seized and secured Shelby Park in the City of Eagle Pass, Texas. Your letter misstates both the facts and the law in demanding that Texas surrender to President Biden’s open-border policies. Because the facts and law side with Texas, the State will continue utilizing its constitutional authority to defend her territory, and I will continue defending those lawful efforts in court. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) should stop wasting scarce time and resources suing Texas, and start enforcing the immigration laws Congress already has on the books.”
Then, after firmly rebutting DHS’s allegations that Texas is responsible for the recent drowning deaths of migrants, AG Paxton wrote, “Quite apart from the Shelby Park specifics, your demand letter rests on a more fundamental misunderstanding of federal law and the role of sovereign States within our constitutional order. This much is clear from your invocation of a federal statute that gives U.S. Border Patrol warrantless access to land within 25 miles of the border, but only “for the purpose of patrolling the border to prevent the illegal entry of aliens into the United States.” 8 U.S.C. § 1357(a)(3) (emphasis added). President Biden has ordered your agency to do the exact opposite, in keeping with his open-borders campaign promise. There is not even a pretense that you are trying to prevent the illegal entry of aliens.”
Continuing, and ridiculing the Biden Administration’s claims that it is enforcing border security, AG Paxton then added, “According to your letter, “[t]he U.S. Constitution tasks the federal government with . . . securing the Nation’s borders.” When were you planning to start?”
Concluding the letter, AG Paxton wrote, “Rather than addressing Texas’s urgent requests for protection, President Biden has authorized DHS to send a threatening letter through its lawyers. But Texas has lawyers, too, and I will continue to stand up for this State’s constitutional powers of self-defense. Instead of running to the U.S. Department of Justice in hopes of winning an injunction, you should advise your clients at DHS to do their job and follow the law.”
Alongside that letter vowing defiance has been actual defiance at the border. According to Fox News Digital, Texas workers were seen installing razor wire border defenses at Shelby Park to secure the border despite federal demands.
Further, Texan officials are now reportedly arresting illegal immigrants at the border crossing. Conservative X personality Collin Rugg recently tweeted, “NEW: Texas DPS troopers are now arresting illegal immigrants in Eagle Pass after the Texas National Guard took over Shelby Park Take notes, Joe. “Troopers are enforcing criminal trespass on single adult men & women,” said Texas DPS spokesperson Chris Olivarez. Texas is clearly not backing down considering they are refusing to comply with a cease-and-desist letter from the Biden administration.” Watch the video of Texas workers unloading razor wire at Shelby Park, shared to X by journalist Matt Finn, here:
Not only did Texas defy the Biden admin’s deadline to open Shelby Park to the feds — right now it is installing even more razor wire and fencing. pic.twitter.com/ZLoB299ZOE
— Matt Finn (@MattFinnFNC) January 18, 2024
Featured image credit: screenshot from the embedded video
"*" indicates required fields