Texas Governor Greg Abbott declared on Sunday that he is broadening the authority of his state’s forces along the southern U.S. border to defend against what he characterizes as a migrant “invasion.”
This move comes amid a dispute with President Joe Biden’s administration, which alleges that Abbott is exceeding his jurisdiction. Abbott, accompanied by 13 Republican governors, visited Shelby Park in Eagle Pass, Texas, a location with access to the Rio Grande River, the natural border between the United States and Mexico.
Governor Abbott emphasized during a news conference, “We are here to send a loud and clear message that we are banding together to fight to ensure that we will be able to maintain our constitutional guarantee, that states will be able to defend against any type of imminent danger or invasion.”
Eagle Pass, situated approximately 20 miles from Quemado, has become the focal point of a contentious dispute between Abbott and the Biden administration.
The federal government has filed a lawsuit against Governor Abbott, challenging his takeover of Shelby Park and the placement of barbed wire along the riverbank.
The Biden administration raised concerns in mid-January, asserting that Texas National Guardsmen obstructed federal border police from reaching the river to rescue three migrants who tragically drowned.
Texas has refuted these accusations.
President Biden has brought the case to the US Supreme Court, securing authorization for border police to remove the barbed wire.
Despite this, Governor Abbott remains defiant, issuing orders for additional fencing and garnering support from Republican governors nationwide. They have dispatched their own guardsmen and resources to bolster border control efforts.
Abbott emphasized that the Texas National Guard’s operations extend beyond the park, indicating a broader commitment to border security.
Governor Abbott, aligning himself with former President Trump’s immigration stance, is expanding efforts to enhance deterrence and deny illegal entry into the United States.
Abbott has openly challenged the authority of the Biden administration, accusing it of “deliberate inaction” amid a surge in migrant arrivals at the border.
President Biden, in his 2020 campaign, emphasized restoring “humanity” to immigration and discontinuing Trump-era policies that resulted in family separations at the US-Mexico border. The conflict underscores the ongoing debate over immigration policies and border control.
Governor Abbott, responding to perceived migrant influx, likens the situation to an “invasion,” a sentiment echoed by activists protesting under the banner of “God’s army.”
The governor cites concerns about neighborhoods, businesses, and golf courses being “invaded,” while local residents reject this characterization and criticize the heavy military presence.
The border debate intensifies against the backdrop of a proposed bipartisan deal in the US Senate, aiming to provide new aid for Ukraine and Israel while addressing border-related issues, though its passage remains uncertain.
