The Texas National Guard seized control of a public park near the U.S.-Mexico border on Wednesday, barring federal officials from accessing the area in an escalation of the state’s feud with the Biden administration. Governor Greg Abbott (R), who deployed the guardsmen to Shelby Park in the city of Eagle Pass, accuses the federal government of “perpetuating illegal crossings,” prompting the feds to respond with a Supreme Court Lawsuit.
In the face of an unprecedented surge of illegal immigrants, Border Patrol agents in Eagle Pass have been using Shelby Park as an outdoor staging area for migrants awaiting processing. In recent months, the city’s immigration system has been overrun, setting a new record for single-day migrant encounters in December.
Governor Abbott’s ongoing efforts to close and fortify the border have been repeatedly stymied by the Biden administration, which accuses the state of overstepping its authority to regulate immigration. Facing the Department of Justice’s latest effort to remove barbed wire barricades in the park, Texas officials have decided to take drastic action.
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“The Texas National Guard has maintained a presence with security points and temporary barrier in Shelby Park since 2021,” the Texas Military Department said in a statement. “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.”
Abbott stated that the deployment was made in response to yet another massive caravan of foreign migrants making its way through Mexico. “We are making it clear that Texas will be a tough place to cross,” Abbott said in an X post.
As caravans of migrants are moving through Mexico toward the U.S. border, we are making clear that Texas will be a tough place to cross. https://t.co/G4LJfKfiK3
“Texas is holding the line at our southern border with miles of additional razor wire and anti-climb barriers to deter and repel the record-high levels of illegal immigration invited by President Biden’s reckless open border policies,” said spokeswoman Renea Eze. “Instead of enforcing federal immigration laws, the Biden administration allows unfettered access for Mexican cartels to smuggle people into our country.”
Related: Biden Administration Threatens to Sue Texas to Keep Illegal Immigration Legal
The Border Patrol union confirmed that its agents were being denied access to the park, but leadership 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.”
In response, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) filed an urgent petition with the U.S. Supreme Court demanding that Texas be ordered to stand down and transfer full authority over Shelby Park to the federal government.
JUST IN: Texas Military has now TAKEN FULL CONTROL of Shelby Park in Eagle Pass.
CBP has packed up and left to avoid conflict.
Multiple reports indicating many CBP agents support Abbott's decision.
VIDEO CREDIT: David Winters / freelance @NewsNation pic.twitter.com/rTWzvh57zn https://t.co/TRMZTF5tib
“Beginning around 8:00 p.m., Central Time, on January 10, 2024, Border Patrol was denied access to an approximately 2.5-mile stretch of border, inclusive of Shelby Park and stretching south,” reads the filing, which has been added to the larger DHS lawsuit against Texas. “Texas National Guard (TNG) established fencing and concertina wire, and is blocking access to of [sic] Shelby Park and blocking entrances through federally owned and maintained border barriers with armed soldiers.”
Texas has also brought a countersuit against the Biden administration for its efforts to destroy razor wire barricades and other fortifications along the border.
The full DHS filing against the Texas National Guard can be read below:
Connor Walcott is a staff writer covering politics, culture, and business for Valuetainment.com. Follow Connor on X (Twitter).
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