Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed an executive order Wednesday banning the ground transportation of migrants who illegal crossed the southern border in order to slow the spread of coronavirus cases that are rising in his state.
Citing the Biden administration's 'failure' to enforce the Title 42 order enabling border officials to turn migrants back regardless of asylum claims during the pandemic, Abbot said the new order 'will reduce the risk of COVID-19 exposure in our communities.'
'The dramatic rise in unlawful border crossings has also led to a dramatic rise in COVID-19 cases among unlawful migrants who have made their way into our state, and we must do more to protect Texans from this virus and reduce the burden on our communities,' Abbott states in his announcement.
Abbott accused Biden of 'thwarting' the Title 42 measure put in place under Donald Trump and admitting migrants who are testing positive for COVID into the country.
Only law enforcement officials will be able to provide detained migrants with ground transport under Abbott's new order.
That means migrants released into the interior to await processing or court dates cannot use public transit or be aided by nonprofits to get elsewhere within Texas or the greater US.
New COVID cases in Texas have spiked 178 percent over the last two weeks and hospitalizations have risen by more than 80 percent.
Citing the Biden administration's 'failure' to enforce the Title 42 order enabling border officials to turn migrants back regardless of asylum claims during the pandemic, Abbot said the new order 'will reduce the risk of COVID-19 exposure in our communities
Along the Texas-Mexico border at the Rio Grande Valley crossing point, Border Patrol stated that 135 detained migrants tested positive for COVID in the first two weeks of July alone, Fox News reports.
That reportedly represents a 900% increase compared to the last 14 months.
The cases in that area's detention facilities now account for 60 percent of all detainees confirmed to have COVID-19 and are under CBP’s care, the outlet states.
In the Wednesday order Abbott also gives Texas officials permission to stop vehicles under 'reasonable suspicion of a violation' and force them to return to their point of entry in the violation is confirmed.
It comes after Abbott gave the Texas National Guard on Tuesday state arrest authority for migrants encountered illegally at the border as it was revealed illegal border jumpers with COVID-19 are being released into the state's communities.
The Texas governor sent a letter to the state's National Guard adjutant general Major General Tracy R. Norris ordering guardsmen to assist the Texas Department of Public Safety wtth arrests related to the border crisis.
'To respond to this disaster and secure the rule of law at our Southern border, more manpower is needed—in addition to the troopers from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and soldiers from the Texas National Guard I have already deployed there—and DPS needs help in arresting those who are violating state law,' Abbott wrote in the letter.
He added: 'By virtue of the power and authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the State of Texas, I hereby order that the Texas National Guard assist DPS in enforcing Texas law by arresting lawbreakers at the border.'
The La Joya Police Department said that Border Patrol informed them 'that on July 25, 2021 that they have surpassed 1 million apprehensions in the month of June.'
A judge in Hidalgo, Texas also ordered on Tuesday that immigration federal authorities stop releasing migrants with COVID-19 into the community.
He said the order is another attempt to 'secure the rule of law at our southern border' with 'more manpower'
The La Joya Police Department released a statement on Monday claiming after encountering a migrant family at a Whataburger, they were informed that they were apprehended by Border Patrol, but released because they were infected with coronavirus.
In a statement posted to Facebook, the police department said that they learned hundreds of migrants were being put up in hotels within the community by the Catholic Charities of The Rio Grande Valley.
'On July 26, 2021, a La Joya Police Department Officer was waved down by a concern citizen at the Whataburger located at 450 E. US-83, La Joya, TX 78560,' the department wrote in its statement.
'The Officer was also told by Whataburger management that they wanted the people to leave the establishment due to their disregard to other people's health,' it continued, adding the family was coughing and sneezing without covering their mouths or wearing masks.
'The Officer approached the family and was told by them that they had been apprehended by Border Patrol days prior and were released because they were sick with Covid-19,' they revealed.
'It was also learned that the family was housed at the Texas Inn Hotel located at 612 E. Expressway 83 La Joya Tx. 78560, by a charity group,' the statement added. 'Officers made contact with Hotel management who explained that Catholic Charities of The Rio Grande Valley had booked all the rooms in the hotel to house undocumented immigrants that were detained By Border Patrol.'
In response, Hidalgo County Commissioners Court demanded that Joe Biden stop his agencies from releasing illegal immigrants into Texas communities. Hidalgo county encompasses major Rio Grande River crossing points in McAllen and La Joya.
National Guard from several states, and Texas, have been deployed to help with the growing migration crisis as certain counties plead for the federal government to stop releasing COVID-infected migrants into their communities
The La Joya Police Department released a statement on Monday about an incident at Whataburger where a migrant family informed them they were 'apprehended by Border Patrol days prior and were released because they were sick with Covid-19'
'Faced with multiple reports that migrants are being released in Hidalgo County infected with COVID-19, Hidalgo County Judge Richard F. Cortez is calling on federal immigration officials to stop releasing these migrants into our communities,' the statement reads.
Abbott said the border crisis still 'poses an ongoing and imminent threat of disaster for certain counties and agencies in the State of Texas.'
The border crisis is prevailing, with thousands of migrants crossing into the U.S. every day by surrendering themselves to Border Patrol and claiming they are seeking asylum.
The system has quickly become overwhelmed, with limited space to house the migrants and limited staff to process them. In response, many of these individuals are being released into the communities and are monitored vai the Alternative to Detention Program, like house arrest with home checks or ankle bracelet monitoring.
To help these overwhelmed immigration agencies, several states have sent law enforcement and members of their National Guard to assist with the high traffic areas between the U.S. and Mexico.
Customs and Border Protection revealed that 188,829 migrants were stopped at the southwest border in June – a new 20-year high as the spike from March continues in an upward trajectory
South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, who deployed around 50 National Guard troops from her state to help with the migration crisis, visited the border on Monday near McAllen, Texas
States who have sent assistance include, but are not limited to, South Dakota, Florida, Arkansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Ohio and Wisconsin.
During Governor Abbott's Border Security Summit in Del Rio last month, he announced migrants who commit criminal trespassing or other state offenses will be subject to arrest and confinement.
The pro-Trump Republican issued a disaster declarating directing the Texas DPS to enforce all federal and state criminal law like criminal trespassing, smuggling and human trafficking.
He is now giving the Texas National Guard the same authority and directive.
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