Texas Challenges Federal Warning, Setting Stage for Legal Battle at the Border
On Wednesday, the Attorney General of Texas openly opposed federal officials’ demands for state authorities to vacate a public park along the US-Mexico border, which state National Guard soldiers had taken control of the previous week.
This defiance has set the stage for a legal confrontation with the Biden administration regarding the nation’s immigration policies.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) had urged Texas officials to cease impeding federal Border Patrol from accessing Shelby Park in Eagle Pass, an area adjacent to the Rio Grande that the agency utilized for detaining and inspecting migrants. DHS contended that Texas’ action in taking control of the park was impeding Border Patrol’s ability to fulfill its duties in apprehending and processing migrants.
Jonathan Meyer, the top lawyer at DHS, cautioned Texas Attorney General Paxton during the weekend, expressing that the department would escalate the matter to the Justice Department for potential legal action if the state did not relent.
In response to Meyer’s communication on Wednesday, Paxton issued a forceful reply, indicating that Texas would stand firm and reject the Biden administration’s assertion that the state’s actions were “clearly unconstitutional.”
Federal Alarm: Texas Guard’s Shelby Park Authority
Last week, Texas National Guard soldiers assumed control of Shelby Park, eliciting concern from federal authorities and local officials in Eagle Pass, who asserted that they had not sanctioned the takeover of a city park.
While Texas contended that the sudden action aimed to dissuade migrants from unlawfully entering the area, the Biden administration argued that the seizure of the park hindered Border Patrol agents from performing their duties, especially in emergency situations.
During the weekend, federal officials and a Texas congressman alleged that Texas National Guard soldiers prevented Border Patrol agents from providing assistance to a group of distressed migrants, including a woman and two children who tragically drowned.
Texas officials refuted the accusation, and the Justice Department subsequently clarified in a filing to the Supreme Court that the drownings had already occurred when Border Patrol agents sought permission, which was denied, to enter Shelby Park and assist other migrants in distress.
