On Friday, the Attorney General of Texas vehemently declined a request from the Biden administration to provide complete access to a park along the southern border, currently sealed off by the state National Guard using razor wire, fencing, and deployed soldiers.
The focal point of contention is Shelby Park, a city-owned public park in Eagle Pass, Texas, which has been under the control of Texas National Guard soldiers deployed by Governor Greg Abbott for the past three weeks.
The park, once a prominent location for illegal migrant crossings, is now inaccessible to Border Patrol agents.
The guardsmen have prevented the processing of migrants in the area, which previously served as an ad-hoc holding site for the federal agency.
DHS Sets Deadline for Texas on Shelby Park Access
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), overseeing Border Patrol, had set a deadline until Friday for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to indicate that the state would allow federal agents into Shelby Park.
However, on Friday, Paxton rejected this demand, asserting that Texas would not permit DHS to transform the area into an “unofficial and unlawful port of entry.”
Within Shelby Park, Texas National Guard soldiers have erected barriers to hinder the passage of migrants attempting to enter the US illegally, directing them to return to Mexico via the Rio Grande.
Additionally, the Texas Department of Public Safety has initiated the arrest of certain adult migrants entering the park, charging them with state criminal trespassing offenses.
Texas Officials Fault Feds for Illegal Crossing Issue
Governor Abbott and other Texas officials argue that the state’s actions aim to discourage unauthorized entries, placing blame on the federal government for not sufficiently addressing the issue of illegal crossings.
Conversely, the Biden administration contends that Texas is impeding Border Patrol operations along the Rio Grande, hindering the processing of migrants and assistance to those in distress.
It is crucial to note that immigration enforcement falls under federal jurisdiction.
Texas state officials lack legal authorization and training to screen migrants for asylum, arrest them for immigration violations, or deport them to foreign countries.
Nevertheless, Governor Abbott recently signed a law with the intention of allowing Texas officials to apprehend migrants on state-level charges related to illegal entry and compel their return to Mexico.
The Justice Department is actively seeking to block the implementation of this law before its scheduled enforcement in March.