Texas state authorities have initiated the apprehension of undocumented immigrants within the state.
Lt. Chris Olivarez, a spokesperson for the Texas Department of Public Safety announced “Under the authority of Gov. [Greg Abbott]’s Border Disaster Declaration, [Texas DPS] troopers are arresting illegal immigrants for criminal trespass at [Shelby Park] in Eagle Pass.”
“Troopers are enforcing criminal trespass on single adult men [and] women. The State of [Texas] will maintain a proactive posture in curbing illegal border crossings between the ports of entry,” he added.
Under the authority of Gov. @GregAbbott_TX’s Border Disaster Declaration, @TxDPS Troopers are arresting illegal immigrants for criminal trespass at #ShelbyPark in Eagle Pass. Troopers are enforcing criminal trespass on single adult men & women. The State of #Texas will maintain a… pic.twitter.com/EuRhYDNYLH
— Chris Olivarez (@LtChrisOlivarez) January 18, 2024
Olivarez additionally shared footage of the apprehension of migrants.
According to Olivarez, migrant adults were placed under the custody of the state, while children and families were transferred to the Border Patrol.
Furthermore, he mentioned that the migrants would be charged with state trespassing offenses. The location where the arrests occurred has been a subject of disagreement between Texas and federal authorities. Bill Melugin from Fox News reported that Texas officials took control of the area and expelled the Federal authorities.
Following the refusal of state officials to allow Border Patrol back into the area, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) accused Texas of engaging in unconstitutional actions and obstructing its operations.
It also vowed to “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.”