[FoxNews] The Texas National Guard has seized control of a park at the U.S. southern border and is now blocking Border Patrol from entering the area – part of an effort to stop the surge of illegal immigration into Texas and a move likely to significantly increase tensions between Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and the federal government. The state government has taken control of Shelby Park in the city of Eagle Pass, Texas, which has been at the center of the migrant crisis that has engulfed the U.S. border. Authorities have now set up razor wire and fences to block off the area.
Eagle Pass Mayor Rolando Salinas said he was informed that the decision was made as part of Gov. Greg Abbott's emergency declaration. Salinas told reporters it was not something the city had requested, and he said his understanding is that Border Patrol was now not in the area as a result.
In a statement, the Texas Military Dept. said it has maintained a presence in the park since 2021, including with security points and temporary barriers.
"The current posture is to prepare for future illegal immigrant surges and to restrict access to organizations that perpetuate illegal immigrant crossings in the park and greater Eagle Pass area," it said.
The Border Patrol union confirmed to Fox News that agents were being blocked from entering by Texas soldiers, and praised Abbott for taking matters into his own hands.
"Governor Abbott is not harming Border Patrol operations, he is enhancing them," National Border Patrol Council Brandon Judd said in a statement. "His seizing control of Shelby Park allows our agents to deploy to troubled spots that experience high numbers of gotaways. Governor Abbott’s actions should be seen as a force multiplier."
I hope the Governor's security detail is taking the appropriate measures.
The dramatic move marks the latest escalation in a feud between the state of Texas and the federal government over how to handle the record-setting crisis, which has left both Texas and cities throughout the country overwhelmed.
Abbott launched Operation Lone Star in 2021 to surge resources and law enforcement to the border. As part of that operation, he set up a buoy border barrier in the Rio Grande River, which sparked a lawsuit from the federal government that could soon be before the Supreme Court.
Related:
Texas National Guard: 2023-11-26 Trump serves Thanksgiving meal to Texas' Operation Lone Star Agents
Texas National Guard: 2023-10-14 Texas building a wall along border with New Mexico to reduce flood of illegal immigrants
Texas National Guard: 2023-10-01 Moment groups of migrants creep through unguarded barbed wire at Eagle Pass under cover of darkness, skip the processing area and disappear into the woods
Texas National Guard: 2023-11-26 Trump serves Thanksgiving meal to Texas' Operation Lone Star Agents
Texas National Guard: 2023-10-14 Texas building a wall along border with New Mexico to reduce flood of illegal immigrants
Texas National Guard: 2023-10-01 Moment groups of migrants creep through unguarded barbed wire at Eagle Pass under cover of darkness, skip the processing area and disappear into the woods
Related:
Eagle Pas: 2023-12-26 Good Morning
Eagle Pas: 2023-12-26 Christmas chaos in Eagle Pass as THOUSANDS more migrants cross US border into Texas after wading across the Rio Grande and wait to be processed
Eagle Pas: 2023-12-23 NBC reporter Guad Venegas amazed at number of migrants at US border: 'I've never seen this number of migrants arriving'
Eagle Pas: 2023-12-26 Good Morning
Eagle Pas: 2023-12-26 Christmas chaos in Eagle Pass as THOUSANDS more migrants cross US border into Texas after wading across the Rio Grande and wait to be processed
Eagle Pas: 2023-12-23 NBC reporter Guad Venegas amazed at number of migrants at US border: 'I've never seen this number of migrants arriving'