The Biden administration recently claimed that the state of Texas was responsible for three migrant deaths at the southern border.
According to a statement released by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Border Patrol agents were allegedly prevented by Texas officials from rescuing the migrants who ultimately drowned while attempting to cross the Rio Grande. The administration called Texas "cruel, dangerous, and inhumane" for their actions.
However, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has contradicted this claim, stating that the Texas authorities were not responsible for the deaths. According to the DOJ's statement, on January 12, the Mexican government informed Border Patrol that three migrants, including two children and one woman, had drowned at 8:00 p.m. It was not until over an hour later that the Border Patrol informed the Texas Military Department of the incident. This timeline makes it clear that the allegations against Texas were false.
The Biden administration's accusation came just days after the state of Texas took control of a park in Eagle Pass that was previously used by Border Patrol to process illegal immigrants before releasing them into the interior of the United States. This move is part of an ongoing feud between Texas and the federal government, as the two are currently engaged in legal battles over the federal government's decision to remove razor wire placed on the border by the state.
In response to the Biden administration's claim, the Texas Military Department released a statement denying their involvement in the migrant deaths. The statement read, "At no time did TMD security personnel along the river observe any distressed migrants, nor did TMD turn back any illegal immigrants from the US during this period." The state of Texas maintains that they were not responsible for the tragedy and that their actions at the border are necessary to protect their citizens.
The Biden administration once again pushed a false narrative at the border, now refuted by their own DOJ.
White House claim: “On Friday night, a woman and two children drowned near Eagle Pass, and Texas officials blocked U.S. Border Patrol from attempting to provide emergency… pic.twitter.com/B8bsP13Mxv
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) January 16, 2024
Democratic U.S. Representative Henry Cuellar of Texas also spoke out about the incident, placing the blame on the state of Texas for defending its borders. In a statement, Cuellar said that Texas "bears responsibility" for the deaths of the three migrants. His comment is reflective of the ongoing rift between Democrats and Republicans on the issue of border security.
The state of Texas choosing to secure its border comes as the United States faces an unprecedented surge of illegal aliens. Since President Biden took office, over 10 million individuals have crossed the southern border illegally. This increase in illegal immigration has included a record-breaking number of Chinese nationals and a 1,000% increase in illegal immigration from countries such as Afghanistan, Ethiopia, and the Dominican Republic.
Texas' decision to take control of the park in Eagle Pass is just one of many steps the state has taken to address the surge of illegal immigration. In November, the previous monthly record for southern border encounters was broken when almost a quarter million migrants were encountered, according to Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) statistics. Additionally, over 300,000 encounters at the southern border were reported in the month of December, although official statistics from DHS have not yet been released. These numbers highlight the severity of the ongoing border crisis.
The Biden administration's claim that Texas was responsible for the deaths of three migrants at the southern border has been debunked by the DOJ's statement. While politicians from both parties continue to point fingers, the crisis at the border continues to escalate. The state of Texas remains firm in its commitment to secure its borders and protect its citizens, while the federal government grapples with finding a solution to the growing issue of illegal immigration.