White House Warns Texas Against Blocking Border Patrol Access

Improve the News Foundation -

Facts

  • The White House on Sunday reportedly issued a letter to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to allow US Border Patrol access to the crossing with Mexico near the border town of Eagle Pass before this Wednesday.1
  • US Department of Homeland Security lawyer Jonathan Meyer wrote to Paxton warning that the matter would be referred to the Dept. of Justice (DOJ) if the state continues to block federal agents.2
  • The letter cites an incident from last Friday during which three migrants — a woman and two children — drowned while Border Patrol reportedly couldn't get past a Texas National Guard blockade.3
  • Texas on Sunday countered Border Patrol's claim about migrant deaths, saying the federal agency's request came only after two of them had already drowned.2
  • On Friday, the DOJ requested the US Supreme Court (SCOTUS) order Texas to lift its blockade after the state fenced off a 50-acre area where thousands had crossed over from Mexico to the US last year.4
  • This comes as Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has continued to clash with the Biden administration over immigration policy. The blockade is part of Operation Lone Star, which Abbott says is aimed at minimizing illegal crossings.5

Sources: 1CNN, 2CBS (a), 3CBS (b), 4PBS NewsHour and 5Associated Press.

Narratives

  • Democratic narrative, as provided by Guardian. Abbott is just ratcheting up fear in the run-up to the 2024 US election because current migrant crossings hardly compare to the huge numbers recorded in the early 2000s. The unprecedented blocking of federal agents in the name of tightening border control hides the fact that the current uptick in illegal crossings began before Biden's election. Abbott is playing politics and feeding the border security industry.
  • Republican narrative, as provided by FOX News. Biden is completely ignoring the immigration crisis. Given the lackluster efforts to deport illegal aliens, what is the true function of the Border Patrol? The 'ignoring and enabling' cycle is plaguing the US southern border. This is a massive crisis for the US that the Biden admin. is failing tremendously.

Predictions