As the migration surge overwhelms cities in the United States, Texas has continued to fight against the influx. Governor Abbott took up many strategies to do this, including busing some migrants out of the county and blocking the U.S. Border Patrol from having access to the US-Mexico border.
However, the federal government does not approve of this. Biden’s administration has called upon Abbott several times to abolish his new rule, citing its disadvantages. On the 24th of January, the administration gave Texas a day to stop blocking border patrol access.
The Department of Homeland Security sent a letter to Texas’ Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton citing several reasons. The letter included the death of a woman and children who could not be saved after state authorities banned federal agents from the zone of rescue.
The letter says that the state’s actions “have impeded operations” and are unconstitutional. It also mentions the Rio Grande in Eagle Pass, where state authorities have erected fencing and kept out federal agents.
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Furthermore, the letter warned that the DHS will “refer the matter to the Department of Justice for appropriate action and consider all other options available to restore Border Patrol’s access to the border.”
This will happen if Texas doesn’t confirm it will “cease and desist its efforts to block Border Patrol’s access in and around the Shelby Park area and remove all barriers to access to the U.S.-Mexico border,” the letter stated.
The letter continued, saying, “Texas’s failure to provide access to the border persists even in instances of imminent danger to life and safety.” As they didn’t allow Border Patrol to have access to save the woman and two children, it seems that they have no plans to budge, even if lives are at stake.
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“Texas has demonstrated that even in the most exigent circumstances, it will not allow Border Patrol access to the border to conduct law enforcement and emergency response activities.” In response, Texas did not back down despite the Wednesday deadline.
Texas Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton responded on that day, saying, “Texas will not surrender.” He responded with a three-page letter claiming that Texas has the constitutional authority to always defend its territory.
Therefore, he plans to continue to fight for this power in the court of law. Since the state didn’t honor the deadline, they’re now in a legal battle with the federal government. Governor Abbott continues to defy court orders, making his own rules and defending them.
ALSO READ: Biden Administration Sends Texas Cease-and-Desist on Border Access After Migrants’ Death
While some people applaud him for his resilience, some are critical of his actions. To them, Abbott is trying to get complete autonomy, and that is not right in a democracy.
SMU constitutional law professor and expert Jeffrey Kahn said, “Governor Abbott seems to have forgotten that he is the governor of one of 50 states and not the president of a republic of Texas.”
He also noted that he isn’t sure what exactly the Governor will do now, but the world is watching. According to Kahn, past governors who defied federal law didn’t do so well.
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