Texas defies federal demand that it abandon Eagle Pass border area

The attorney general of Texas on Wednesday defied federal authorities who demanded that he lstate authorities to abandon Eagle Pass public park, on the border between the United States and Mexico that state National Guard soldiers took over last week.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) asked officials of Texas over the weekend that will stop blocking the federal Border Patrol from entering Shelby Park in Eagle Pass, an area along the Rio Grande that the agency had been using for hold and inspect migrants, according to NBC News.

DHS said Texas' decision to seize the park was obstructing the Border Patrol's obligations to detain and process immigrants.

DHS lead attorney Jonathan Meyer highlighted an incident that occurred on Friday when a woman and two children drowned in the Rio Grande in Eagle Pass, Texas.

Meyer warned Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton over the weekend that DHS would refer the matter to the Department of Justice for possible legal action if the state did not relent.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton stated in a response letter that Texas would not back down, rejecting the Biden administration's charge that the state's actions were “ clearly unconstitutional.”

“Because the facts and the law are on Texas' side, the State will continue to use its constitutional authority to defend its territory, and I will continue to defend those legal efforts in the courts,” Paxton wrote.

“Instead of addressing Texas' urgent requests for protection, President Biden has authorized DHS to send a threatening letter through his lawyers.” Paxton added. “But Texas has lawyers too, and I will continue to defend this state's constitutional powers of self-defense”.

Texas National Guard soldiers took control of Shelby Park mid-last week, alarming federal authorities and local officials in Eagle Pass, who said that did not approve of the takeover of a public city park.

While Texas said the abrupt measure was designed to deter migrants from crossing illegally into the area, the Biden administration has argued that the seizure of the park has prevented Border Patrol agents from doing their jobs, even during emergency situations.

DHS officials said Saturday that a woman and two children drowned in the Rio Grande after Border Patrol officials “were physically prohibited by Texas officials from entering the area” under orders from Republican Gov. Greg Abbott.

The Texas Military Department disputed the DHS statement, saying its staff was aware of a distress report but had not detected any migrants in straits.

A White House spokesperson criticized Abbott's immigration policies in response to the drownings, saying in a statement this week that his “political tricks are cruel, inhumane and dangerous.”

In Wednesday's letter, Paxton said any suggestion that the state was responsible for the deaths “is vile and, as you must know, completely inaccurate.