Eagle Pass: An Invasion or Political Theatre?
While Washington watches, a community must cope with an increasingly militarized presence.
As the standoff at Eagle Pass between the Texas National Guard and U.S. Border Patrol agents continues, residents of the small city on the border have seen their home become a central battleground on the issue of immigration and the state government’s role in enforcement. Governor Abbott’s increasingly hands-on approach to border enforcement has drawn criticism from many Texans, while others view his actions as taking the necessary steps to protect the state. Concerns over the seizure of public land, potentially deadly deterrents, and the deployment of the Texas National Guard have been countered with the opinion that these are necessary steps taken to crack down on cartel activities and enforce legal immigration procedures. Following the Supreme Court ruling asserting the Federal Government’s authority over the Nation’s borders, Abbott remains defiant, though this rings somewhat hollow with the Republican rejection of the U.S. Senate’s bipartisan border reform bill and the consolidation around illegal immigration as a central issue in many Republican political campaigns.
How has the Government of Texas approached the situation so far?
The Standoff started on January 11th, 2024, as the Texas National Guard occupied Shelby Park in Eagle Pass, an area of around 47 acres of land that serves as an important community gathering place for public events and community sports. The Guard also began placing bales of concertina wire and floating barriers in the surrounding area. The following day, Federal Border Patrol agents were prevented from responding to an emergency call in the area pertaining to two migrants in distress in the Rio Grande. Following this incident, a 33-year-old mother and her two children were found drowned in the river, sparking outrage and condemnation across the country. The Government of Texas has effectively shut down the Eagle Pass border crossing altogether, and the numbers of migrants coming in through the Eagle Pass crossing have dropped significantly. Following the placement of these barriers to entry, Governor Abbott has been catapulted into the national spotlight once again and has quickly become a polarizing figure in both American and Texas politics because of his hardline tactics against both illegal immigrants and asylum seekers.
Governor Abbott has repeatedly asserted that the waves of migrants constituted an “invasion”, and further incendiary statements by the Governor have led many to fear increased violence against migrants. In a recent interview with Dana Losche, Governor Abbott states, “The only thing that we’re not doing is we’re not shooting people who come across the border, because of course, the Biden administration would charge us with murder” (Garcia, Texastribune.org, 2024). Governor Abbott has repeatedly invoked the right of Texas to secure its border alongside claims that the Biden administration has failed to enforce American immigration laws. In a recently published op-ed in the New York Post, Abbott makes his position clear writing, “Texas is leading the fight, with the help of Governors from across the country, to do the job that President Joe Biden has failed to do. We will continue to build barriers that deny illegal entry into our state, arrest immigrants that cross illegally, and fulfill our duty to secure our border” (Abbott, 2024). Most recently Governor Abbott has remained defiant in the face of a supreme court ruling in favor of the federal government’s authority over the nation’s borders, announcing plans for the construction of an eighty acre “basecamp” along the border which will be placed under the authority of the Texas Military Department.
How has the Federal Government approached the situation?
The Federal Government asserts its authority over the nation’s borders and has ordered the Government of Texas to stop obstructing federal authorities in carrying out their duties on the border. The Biden Administration has been relatively quiet on the issue so far, with press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre recently stating, “There’s nothing, no actions that (President Biden) could take that would have been as tough or fair as this bipartisan legislation that came out of the Senate, obviously, that we worked on for months” (Jean-Pierre, Whitehouse.gov, 2024). The Biden administration has maintained that its agents are being prevented from enforcing the border at Eagle Pass and points to high levels of Border and Customs Agency enforcement actions, with around 1,231,213 enforcement actions being carried out from October 1st, 2023, to date, as evidence of the federal government carrying out its duty to protect the border (CBP.Gov, 2024).
It seems that many Democratic and Republican legislators would rather solve this issue through legislation and compromise. The bipartisan border reform bill that had previously been proposed was a massive $118 billion policy proposal that would’ve given the president authority to shut down the border. Additionally, the proposal set aside funding for the hiring of new border patrol and immigration and customs agents, set aside funds to combat drug trafficking, expanded detention centers, and hired more asylum officers to begin working through the current backlog of claims (senate.gov, 2024). The bill was met with stiff resistance from many Republican legislators on the right flank of the GOP, as it was seen as going soft on the border despite the concessions and agreements made by their Republican and Democratic colleagues in an attempt at compromise. The bipartisan border reform bill quickly sank and it seems that the Biden Administration has yet to decide on the best course of action going forward, as the Government of Texas is maintaining its defiance of federal authority.
How do the residents of Eagle Pass feel?
Within the city of Eagle Pass, the response has been largely critical of the actions taken by the Government of Texas, as the state government’s actions have been interpreted as both a political stunt and government overreach by many. In a recent article published in Slate magazine, local resident Mike Garcia states, “I voted for Abbott; I think he’s been good for Texas, but to tell somebody ‘We’re taking over’ and not giving a good reason — you feel slapped silly. Nobody here is happy with what they did, because of the way they did it.” (Olmstead, slate.com, 2024). This sentiment seems to be shared, with another resident, Jesse Fuentes, who previously put forth a lawsuit against the Government of Texas for allegedly harming his business with maritime barriers, was forced to close his river outfitting and touring business following Governor Abbott’s closure of the riverside park to the public. In a recent interview with David Davies from Texas Standard, Fuentes states, “I hate that he (Abbott) has put a damn target on my community. And he doesn’t care, he just wants to push his political narrative and put us in peril” (Davies, tpr.org, 2024). Fuentes also feels strongly about the impacts the actions of the state government are having on the Rio Grande and the surrounding environment. Speaking to Molly Olmstead of Slate Magazine, Fuentes expresses his concerns, “They bulldozed the islands, they bulldozed the edges of the river, they put in concrete and concertina wire. They destroyed sanctuaries, the river system is being destroyed” (Olmstead, Slate.com, 2024).
On the economic front, much of the town’s income comes from its position on the border and the facilitation of international trade, with both trucks and freight trains carrying a variety of goods passing through on their way into the United States. The Government of Texas has shut down one of the two bridges that connect Eagle Pass to its sister city, Piedras Negras, across the border, and as a result, many trucks and trains have begun taking routes other than those going through Eagle Pass, further harming the city’s income. Many locals want border reform, as surges in immigration can put strain on the local economy and city resources, but the heavy handed approach by the Government of Texas is also placing strain on the local economy while diminishing the freedoms and quality of life for residents of Eagle Pass. Speaking about the impacts of life following the occupation of the park by state forces, Fuentes states “There’s a [state] trooper every 2 or 3 miles, and it’s 95 miles to get to the interstate. There was even a trooper in my alley, in front of my house. I laugh about it, but I know it’s affecting our economy” (Olmstead, slate.com, 2024).
Another issue has been the addition of extremists driving down from other parts of the country into the already tense atmosphere, with the “God’s Army” convoy holding a rally in Quemado with many attendees venturing into Eagle Pass to see the situation on the border for themselves. While these rallies remained mostly peaceful, there were reports of attendees harassing immigrants following the California event, and the rhetoric of politicians and other public figures associated with the event, Christian nationalist overtones, and the involvement of far-right paramilitary groups was highly concerning to many, while also emphasizing the increasingly militant stance of the American far-right on immigration policy. In an article by Dave Davies of Texas Public Radio, resident Amber Duncan describes the response from local law enforcement, stating, “This is where I live. Cops are worried about us because they know us, they say be careful with the kids because it’s going to get wild. Make sure you’re safe” (Davies, tpr.org, 2024).
Many of those who joined the convoy seemingly had the image of hordes of illegal immigrants surging through the Eagle Pass crossing by the hundreds. Bob Bagley, a convoy member from Houston gives his thoughts on the border in Davies’ article. Bagley believes, “No country can withstand 10 to 12 million [people] coming in and invading their country”, Bagley goes on to elaborate, “They are destroying our economy, our businesses, the people who live here in this county and this city Eagle Pass are afraid to come out at night, to be on the streets” (Davies, tpr.org, 2024). The scene awaiting those who came down with the convoy was much different from the invasion they were expecting as much of the previous migrant traffic had been redirected to other points of entry. Resident Mike Garcia sums up the reaction of these extremists simply, stating, “They were disappointed, because there were no immigrants” (Olmstead, slate.com, 2024). With the issue of border security remaining a hotly contested issue in both state and national politics, and rhetoric around the issue continuing to escalate, the question remains; what would “God’s Army” have done if there were large numbers of migrants at the Eagle Pass crossing when they got there?
Works Cited
Abbott, G. (2024, February 18). Greg Abbott: Texas has the constitutional right to defend itself from invasion. New York Post. https://nypost.com/2024/02/18/opinion/greg-abbott-texas-has-constitutional-right-to-defend-itself-from-invasion/
CBP Enforcement Statistics. (n.d.). U.S. Customs And Border Protection. https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/stats/cbp-enforcement-statistics
Davies, D. M. (2024, February 7). Eagle Pass residents on edge as Texas Gov. vows to expand border operations. TPR. https://www.tpr.org/border-immigration/2024-02-07/right-wing-border-convoy-leaves-eagle-pass-residents-on-edge
García, U. J. (2024b, February 6). Texas governor criticized after comment about shooting migrants. The Texas Tribune. https://www.texastribune.org/2024/01/11/texas-border-migrants-greg-abbott-interview-shoot/
Jean-Pierre, K. (2024, February 23). Press briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, February 23, 2024. The White House. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/press-briefings/2024/02/23/press-briefing-by-press-secretary-karine-jean-pierre-february-23-2024/
Olmstead, M. (2024, January 31). Texas and Biden are warring over a border town. Its residents just want their park back. Slate Magazine. https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2024/01/eagle-pass-standoff-texas-border-shelby-park-abbott.html
U.S. Senate (2024). Emergency National Security Supplemental Appropriations Act. emergency_national_security_supplemental_section-by-section.pdf (senate.gov)
