Texas arrests illegal immigrants for crime of crossing state border from Mexico

Texas has reportedly begun arresting illegal immigrants for criminal trespass in Eagle Pass in the same city park the state recently booted the Border Patrol from and seized control of.

The White House had previously given Texas a deadline of today to allow Border Patrol back into Shelby Park, but the state declined.

Chris Olivarez, a spokesperson with the Texas Department of Public Safety, posted on X, “Under the authority of Governor Greg Abbott of Texas’ border disaster declaration, 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 and the state of Texas will maintain a proactive posture including illegal border crossings between the ports of entry.”

Last week, the Texas National Guard took control of Shelby Park, which has been at the center of President Joe Biden’s illegal immigrant crisis at the US southern border, and set up razor wire and fences to block off the area. 

National Border Patrol Council Brandon Judd said in a statement at the time, "Governor Abbott is not harming Border Patrol operations, he is enhancing them. His seizing control of Shelby Park allows our agents to deploy to troubled spots that experience high numbers of gotaways. Governor Abbott’s actions should be seen as a force multiplier."

The following day, Biden's Department of Homeland Security and the White House falsely claimed that the drowning deaths of illegal immigrants, including two children, were the fault of Texas' border policies, alleging that if Border Patrol had access to the area where National Guard had taken charge, they might have been able to save the illegal immigrants.

However, it was later revealed that at the time the Border Patrol asked for access, the deaths had already occurred. 

On Tuesday, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton demanded that the Biden administration correct the record.