The unraveling crisis on the U.S. Southern border under President Joe Biden has led to a confrontation between federal power and Texas National Guard soldiers — and Republican Gov. Greg Abbott said he won’t back down.
The clash over illegal immigration enforcement escalated further Wednesday as federal officials renewed demands for the state to open access to a riverfront park that is a popular corridor for illegals entering the U.S.
Texas has installed rows of razor wire in the park and says more is being added after the Supreme Court cleared the way for Border Patrol agents to destroy or remove the barrier earlier this week.
The fencing has become one of Republican Abbott’s most visible measures to gain control of the Texas-Mexico border since illegal immigrants have overwhelmed the border city of Eagle Pass.
Texas seized control of the park this month, escalating a feud between Abbott and President Joe Biden’s administration, which the governor accuses of not doing enough to curb illegal crossings. On Tuesday, the Department of Homeland Security sent the state a letter demanding control of Shelby Park, which is next to the Rio Grande.
“To our knowledge, Texas has only permitted access to Shelby Park by allowing public entry for a memorial, the media, and use of the golf course adjacent to Shelby Park, all while continuing to restrict U.S. Border Patrol’s access to the park,” the letter read.
It asked Texas to respond by Friday.
On social media, Abbott struck a defiant tone, issuing a statement that said Texas had a “constitutional right to self-defense” but did not address access to the park.
My statement on Texas’ constitutional right to self-defense. pic.twitter.com/seNFZdmujP
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) January 24, 2024
Lt. Chris Olivarez, a spokesman for the Texas Department of Public Safety, said Wednesday on The Glenn Beck Program that the state was installing more of the wire barrier.
Texas troopers and National Guard members have kept a large presence at Shelby Park since last summer, when thousands of migrants were illegally crossing from Mexico daily.
The Horn editorial team and the Associated Press contributed to this article