Dozens of migrants self-surrender in Texas
- The 32 people who surrendered will be transported for processing
- Texas says more razor wire is being installed at Shelby Park
- Some border-area residents say security isn’t what it once was
ovp test
Male shot by female at Shreveport apartment
Class to create biodiverse backyard
Rules for outbursts at Caddo School Board Meeting
Testing widget old system
EAGLE PASS, Texas (NewsNation) — As the feud between Texas and the Biden administration continues over border security, dozens of migrants self-surrendered to authorities on Wednesday.
Texas has installed rows of razor wire in a riverfront park and says more is being added after the Supreme Court cleared the way for Border Patrol agents to cut or remove the sharp metal barrier. The fencing has become one of Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s most visible measures to deter migrants in the border city of Eagle Pass.
The 32 people who surrendered will be transported for processing and the majority will likely get a notice to appear in court — some of those dates aren’t until 2031.
Some who live along the border told NewsNation they don’t see the law enforcement presence that they once did.
“It’s heartbreaking. It really is,” said resident Tony Castaneda. “And I don’t blame law enforcement for not being able to respond because they were probably committed or tied up. But we don’t see the regular enforcement that we used to see in years now because of the situation.”
Texas troopers and National Guard members have kept a large presence at the park since last summer when thousands of migrants were crossing illegally from Mexico. Crossings have decreased notably since the start of January, not only in Eagle Pass but elsewhere along the U.S.-Mexico border.
But nearly two weeks into the start of the year, the state told the Eagle Pass mayor that it would be closing access to Shelby Park. Mayor Rolando Salinas said in a video published on his social media that he was not given an explanation over the timing and was not aware of when the public would have access to the popular recreation area.
Texas told the Supreme Court the park was reopened to the public days after they shut it down, but the federal government expressed skepticism in its letter. The Biden administration requested access to the park, an area underneath a port of entry and a boat ramp.
The Border Patrol tallied 249,785 arrests on the Mexican border in December, up 31% from 191,112 in November and up 13% from 222,018 in December 2022, the previous all-time high.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
