US-Mexico Border: Texas Blocks Feds From Accessing Eagle Pass

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Facts

  • Tensions between US Pres. Joe Biden's administration and Texas Governor Greg Abbott intensified after the governor blocked the federal US Border Patrol from accessing miles of land near Eagle Pass, Texas along the US-Mexico border. While daily migrant encounters in Eagle Pass have dropped from thousands to about 500 this week, overall border crossings have dropped from 10K per day in December to 3K in January.1
  • According to the US Dept. of Homeland Security (DHS), the decline in border crossings is due to agreements between the US and Mexico, including Mexico enhancing its immigration enforcement on public transportation, moving migrants from Mexico's northern border to its southern border, and reinitiating deportations of Venezuelans.1
  • Texas National Guard soldiers have taken control of Shelby Park in Eagle Pass, with the Border Patrol union — which praised the move — telling Fox News that federal agents were blocked from entering the area, which has now included razor wire fences to quell illegal crossings. Eagle Pass Mayor Rolando Salinas said he didn't request the National Guard, but that it was part of Abbott's emergency declaration.2
  • Abbott's security measures have also included river barriers across a 1K-foot section of the Rio Grande near Eagle Pass. In response, the Biden administration has asked the US Supreme Court (SCOTUS) to intervene, arguing that the barriers are 'an escalation of the State's measures to block Border Patrol's ability to patrol or even to surveil the border' and 'respond to emergencies.'3
  • Meanwhile, Abbott's office said the state will 'continue to deploy Texas National Guard soldiers, DPS (Dept. of Public Safety) troopers, and more barriers.' On Thursday, the governor said the only reason they're stopping short of 'shooting' migrants is 'because of course, the Biden administration would charge us with murder,' prompting widespread criticism.3
  • This follows Abbot's signing of bill SB4 last month, which allows state law enforcement to arrest, jail, and prosecute migrants on state criminal charges of illegal entry. While the federal government claims this is jeopardizing the safety of both migrants and law enforcement, Texas argued that it's to 'restrict access to organizations that perpetuate illegal immigrant crossings.'4

Sources: 1CNN, 2FOX News, 3Rolling Stone and 4CBS.

Narratives

  • Left narrative, as provided by Washington Post. The Democrats have fumbled the ball on immigration and must make a change, or else they'll risk handing immigration powers over to the extreme right such as Trump-like members of the GOP. The current immigration issue relates to asylum seekers, a system that is completely broken in the country and cannot afford to take in any more applicants. There are likely tens of millions of migrants already in the US that we should focus on processing first. But in the meantime, the Democrats should support capping more arrivals until those already here have been legalized.
  • Right narrative, as provided by Federalist. The liberal 'accept anyone and everyone' mantra is coming home to roost all across the US. Immigrants from all over the world have for over a decade been overtaking populations ranging from coastal cities like Boston to midwestern hubs like Sioux City, Iowa, where districts have now had to translate their services into more than 150 languages. Schools have turned into violent institutions and public libraries and malls into inhospitable refugee camps. Bold actions, like the ones taken by Governor Abbott, are needed more than ever.

Predictions