The Biden administration has finally issued a response to the incident involving federal officials cutting through razor wire to allow undocumented immigrants into Texas. It’s true; Border Patrol Agents are currently cutting wires that were put in place to prevent migrants from crossing. According to the CBP, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the individuals involved were subject to the immigration laws of the United States.
A video of the incident, which reportedly took place on private property according to Texas Department of Public Safety officials, was shared by Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin. In their statement, CBP emphasized that enforcing U.S. immigration laws is a federal responsibility and that the individuals had already crossed the Rio Grande from Mexico, thereby being subject to U.S. immigration laws. Those who cross unlawfully will be subject to the lawful pathways rule, which establishes conditions for asylum eligibility with certain exceptions. Those unable to establish a legal basis to stay in the United States will be removed.
NEW: Video from source in Eagle Pass shows Border Patrol cutting through razor wire placed by the state of TX to allow migrants to enter & be processed after crossing illegally. @TxDPS tells me this is the first time they know of this happening, and that it’s being looked into… pic.twitter.com/jESPbzj9sw
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) June 30, 2023
According to Melugin, the video originated from a source in Eagle Pass. It depicted Border Patrol agents cutting through razor wire put in place by the state of Texas to facilitate the entry and processing of migrants illegally crossing the border. The Texas Department of Public Safety informed Melugin that this was the first known instance of such an occurrence and that an investigation was underway to determine if any Texas property had been damaged.
The federal government’s position is that migrants on U.S. soil, under U.S. law, must go through the processing system and cannot be repelled or turned away. Governor Greg Abbott of Texas has taken a different approach, physically blocking migrants and authorizing the use of razor wire to arrest individuals for criminal trespassing on private property.
Melugin highlighted that the Border Patrol agent in the video was likely following orders. Still, this incident could escalate tensions between Texas and the federal government, as they have differing approaches to border control.
Although it is the responsibility of the federal government to secure the border, Texas will not remain passive as the crisis worsens. Governor Greg Abbott has devised a comprehensive and powerful plan to address the situation, which is arguably the most extensive plan of its kind in the entire nation.
With the ending of Title 42, Governor Abbott started shifting National guards, putting up razor wire, and utilizing drone teams to prevent migrants from crossing the border. On May 8, Abbott announced the deployment of the new Texas Tactical Border Force to the Texas-Mexico border to respond to the growing border crisis at Austin Bergstrom International Airport in Austin. This is on top of his steadfast commitment to giving sanctuary cities just a small portion of what Texas faces every day. Abbott has raised a considerable amount of money to aid him in his quest. As of May 11, he raised over 55 million in “Border Wall Funding.” Based on the video, Abbott is going to have a few more migrants to bus to California this week.