(NewsNation) — Along the U.S.-Mexico border, the battle between Texas and the White House continues to escalate in a conflict over border policy and enforcement.
The Texas National Guard recently seized control of a park in the border town of Eagle Pass, Texas, denying entry to federal authorities. Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed an emergency order granting the guard full control of the park.
“Texas has the legal authority to control ingress and egress into any geographic location in the state,” Abbott said.
Legal proceedings regarding the park are already underway.
Meanwhile, a lot of focus has been on three drownings that took place over the weekend as there is an investigation into what happened.
The Texas Military Department controlling the Shelby Park area in Eagle Pass said Border Patrol claims it is responsible are “wholly inaccurate.”
The Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection released some statements claiming their agents were physically barred from entering the area to respond to migrants in distress, calling the governor’s practices cruel, dangerous and inhumane.
The TMD said that the drownings had already occurred on the Mexican side of the border when Border Patrol requested access and that authorities were already recovering the bodies.
The TMD also reportedly continued searching for migrants using night vision goggles and thermals but did not find anyone else in distress.
According to the statement, Texas Congressman Henry Cuellar, a Democrat, was quick to publicly condemn the governor’s Operation Lonestar, saying the state bears the responsibility for the death of the woman and two children.
Gov. Abbott responded, saying, “Turns out Rep. Cuellar and some media were so eager to point fingers at Texas for the drowning of migrants, they forgot to get the facts. When BP requested access to the river, the drownings had already occurred in Mexico. The fact is the deaths are because of Biden’s open border magnet.”
Texas Department of Public Safety Lt. Chris Oliveras said the situation is happening because there isn’t enough deterrence to keep migrants from crossing the Rio Grande.
“Under this current federal government, under this administration, there have been a record number of migrant deaths because the fact is they have no policies, no deterrence in place to keep these migrants crossing the river,” he said. “We want to prevent these migrants crossing the river. Go to a port of entry; we have 20 ports of entry in Texas. Go to a port of entry where it’s safe, where it’s humane, where it’s orderly, where you don’t have to risk your life trying to cross a river, especially with children.”
Despite efforts to control the Rio Grande, people still walk in by the hundreds and risk their lives crossing the river. It’s just 15 miles away from an area where people have been known to self-surrender.
Oliveras said most of the land along the river is federal land, and they can’t set up barriers and blockades on that property. Regarding criminal trespass, the city decides who to prosecute for that.
Troopers and soldiers are referring migrants who cross over to Border Patrol right now, reminiscent of what was happening over two years ago.
NewsNation contacted the Department of Homeland Security for a comment but has not heard back.
