Current:Home > NewsTexas defies federal demand that it abandon border area, setting up legal showdown-LoTradeCoin
Texas defies federal demand that it abandon border area, setting up legal showdown
View Date:2024-12-24 07:14:23
The attorney general of Texas on Wednesday defied federal officials who demanded state authorities abandon a public park along the U.S.-Mexico border that state National Guard soldiers seized last week, setting up a legal showdown with the Biden administration over the country's immigration policies.
Over the weekend, the Department of Homeland Security called on Texas officials to stop blocking federal Border Patrol from entering Shelby Park in Eagle Pass, an area next to the Rio Grande that the agency had been using to hold and inspect migrants. The department said Texas' move to commandeer the park was obstructing Border Patrol's obligations to apprehend and process migrants.
The top lawyer at DHS, Jonathan Meyer, warned Texas Attorney General Paxton over the weekend that the department would refer the matter to the Justice Department for potential legal action if the state did not relent.
In a scathing response to Meyer on Wednesday, Paxton indicated that Texas would not back down, rejecting the Biden administration's accusation that state's actions were "clearly unconstitutional."
"Because the facts and law side with Texas, the State will continue utilizing its constitutional authority to defend her territory, and I will continue defending those lawful efforts in court," Paxton wrote.
"Rather than addressing Texas's urgent requests for protection, President Biden has authorized DHS to send a threatening letter through its lawyers," Paxton added. "But Texas has lawyers, too, and I will continue to stand up for this State's constitutional powers of self-defense."
Late Wednesday night, Texas Department of Public Safety South Texas Region spokesperson Lt. Chris Olivarez announced in a post on X, the former Twitter, that Texas troopers had begun arresting migrants at Shelby Park. "Troopers are enforcing criminal trespass on single adult men & women," he wrote.
Texas National Guard soldiers took control of Shelby Park in the middle of last week, alarming federal authorities and local officials in Eagle Pass, who said they did not approve the takeover of a city park.
While Texas said the abrupt move was designed to deter migrants from crossing into the area illegally, the Biden administration has argued the park's seizure has prevented Border Patrol agents from doing their jobs, including during emergency situations.
Over the weekend, federal officials and a Texas congressman said Texas National Guard soldiers barred Border Patrol agents from attempting to render aid to a group of migrants in distress, including a woman and two children who drowned. Texas officials denied the allegation, and the Justice Department later clarified in a filing to the Supreme Court that the drownings had already occurred when Border Patrol agents asked for and were denied permission to enter Shelby Park to attempt to help other migrants in distress.
Still, the Justice Department suggested the situation could have played out differently if Texas had not sealed off Shelby Park.
"It is impossible to say what might have happened if Border Patrol had had its former access to the area — including through its surveillance trucks that assisted in monitoring the area," the Justice Department said Monday. "At the very least, however, Border Patrol would have had the opportunity to take any available steps to fulfill its responsibilities and assist its counterparts in the Mexican government with undertaking the rescue mission. Texas made that impossible."
While it's unclear whether the Justice Department will sue Texas to regain federal control of Shelby Park, it has already alerted the Supreme Court of the situation in a case regarding the razor wire the state has set up to repel migrant crossings. The Justice Department is asking the high court to suspend a lower court ruling that has generally prohibited Border Patrol from cutting the wire to process migrants who are already on American soil.
The Eagle Pass standoff is the latest flashpoint in a political battle between Texas Gov. Greg Abott and President Biden over how the U.S. should deal with migrant crossings, which have soared to record levels over the past three years. Among other actions, Abbott has directed Texas to bus tens of thousands of migrants to Democratic-led cities with "sanctuary" policies.
Over the weekend, the White House denounced Texas' move in Eagle Pass as "inhumane" and "dangerous," saying Border Patrol "must have access to the border to enforce our laws."
Paxton rebuffed that criticism on Wednesday, telling DHS it was not fully enforcing U.S. immigration law.
"There is not even a pretense that you are trying to prevent the illegal entry of aliens," he said.
Camilo Montoya-GalvezCamilo Montoya-Galvez is the immigration reporter at CBS News. Based in Washington, he covers immigration policy and politics.
TwitterveryGood! (2)
Related
- Wisconsin agency issues first round of permits for Enbridge Line 5 reroute around reservation
- How Dance Moms’ Kelly Hyland Is Preserving Her Hair Amid Cancer Treatment
- New Law to Provide Florida Homebuyers With More Transparency on Flood History
- Olympic gold medalist Katie Ledecky says faith in anti-doping policies at 'all-time low'
- Jury awards Abu Ghraib detainees $42 million, holds contractor responsible
- Trump’s attacks on US justice system after guilty verdict could be useful to autocrats like Putin
- Michigan’s U.S. Senate field set with candidates being certified for August primary ballot
- Kyra Sedgwick and the lighter side of disability in All of Me
- In an AP interview, the next Los Angeles DA says he’ll go after low-level nonviolent crimes
- Texas Supreme Court rejects challenge brought by 20 women denied abortions, upholds ban
Ranking
- Ranked voting will decide a pivotal congressional race. How does that work?
- Former tech exec admits to fraud involving a scheme to boost Getty Images shares, authorities say
- Police in Maryland search for registered sex offender in the death of a parole officer
- Marian Robinson, mother of Michelle Obama, dies at 86
- The Cowboys, claiming to be 'all in' prior to Dak Prescott's injury, are in a rare spot: Irrelevance
- Oregon utility regulator rejects PacifiCorp request to limit its liability in wildfire lawsuits
- Don’t throw out that old iPhone! Here’s where you can exchange used tech for dollars
- 2 killed, 3 injured when stolen SUV crashes during pursuit in Vermont
Recommendation
-
What Happened to Kevin Costner’s Yellowstone Character? John Dutton’s Fate Revealed
-
Romance Writers of America falls into bankruptcy amid allegations of racism
-
Marian Robinson, mother of Michelle Obama, dies at 86
-
In historic move, Vermont becomes 1st state to pass law requiring fossil fuel companies to pay for climate change damages
-
Full House Star Dave Coulier Shares Stage 3 Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Diagnosis
-
French Open institutes alcohol ban after unruly fan behavior
-
Retired Virginia police officer sentenced in deaths of wife and stepdaughter
-
Nevada State Primary Election Testing, Advisory