Texas Gov. Greg Abbott defended his state's border strategy amid an escalating legal battle and also announced plans to expand efforts to control land along the Mexican border.
On Sunday afternoon, the Republican governor was flanked by visiting GOP colleagues as he railed against President Joe Biden's handling of the southern border. He recommitted to defending Texas from what he called an "invasion" of migrants.
Amid Texas' legal feud with the federal government, Abbott doubled down on enforcement at the border. The issue is over who has control over part of the Texas-Mexico border in Eagle Pass, a town that has roughly 29,000 residents.
While immigration law enforcement is under the jurisdiction of the federal government, the Texas governor claims that the Biden administration has failed to enforce immigration law. He said that this left the state to fend for itself.
The Republican-led state has continued to erect razor wire as a form of barrier between the Rio Grande River and Shelby Park. The latter is a 47-acre area in Eagle Pass and the efforts continued despite the federal government arguing that the wire impedes federal border agents from apprehending people who cross the river, as per the Texas Tribune.
During a press conference on Sunday that was held at the park, Abbott said that Biden has let illegal migrants loose instead of detaining them. He argued that there was no ability to accurately determine their whereabouts after they entered the United States.
The Texas governor also said that gang members as well as hundreds of people on the terrorist watch list have been apprehended at the border. He expressed his gratitude to border patrol agents at checkpoints who have successfully seized millions of lethal doses of fentanyl and thousands of pounds of methamphetamine.
Republican governors have rallied in support of Abbott's continued efforts to deter illegal immigration. More than two dozen of them released a joint statement last month, arguing that the state has legal authority to defend itself. They said that this is because the Biden administration has failed to enforce immigration laws.
Addressing the Migrant Crisis
Abbott noted on Sunday that he will expand his effort to establish state control over areas near the Rio Grande River in an effort to further deter migrants from crossing into the U.S. He said that the state would not limit its high-intensity efforts to the small municipal park along the river in Eagle Pass, according to the New York Times.
A top Texas official said that state law enforcement officers were also looking to move in on riverside ranch land that is located north of the city. This is an area that migrants have continued to use for crossing.
The situation comes as Senators on Sunday released a highly anticipated $118 billion package that pairs border enforcement policy with military aid for Ukraine, Israel, and other allies. However, it quickly ran into a wall of opposition from top House Republicans, including Speaker Mike Johnson.
On the other hand, Majority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer and Minority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell said that the proposal could be the best chance for Biden to resupply Ukraine with wartime aid. Now, the Senate is expected to hold a key test vote this week on the legislation, said the Associated Press.
