Greg Abbott Touts Razor Wire, River Barriers as Border 'Invasion' Declared

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has said that there is an invasion taking place in the state as an influx of migrants arrive at the southern border.

Abbott spoke as Texas officials continue to disagree with the White House over the crossings where the Lone Star State meets Mexico. The border city of Eagle Pass is one of several areas experiencing a surge in the number of migrants, many of whom are reported to be from Venezuela, attempting to cross the border.

Border officials in Eagle Pass confirmed around 4,000 people arrived at the border on Wednesday, per NewsNation, and that, at one point, the queue stretched for five miles. Newsweek has yet to confirm this figure, and there is no official total.

Abbott made the announcement on Wednesday evening. "I officially declared an invasion at our border because of Biden's policies," the governor posted on X, formerly Twitter. "We deployed the Texas National Guard, DPS & local law enforcement. We are building a border wall, razor wire & marine barriers. We are also repelling migrants."

As well as his comments, Abbott posted a letter from November 2022 to Biden regarding the situation at the border, which makes similar claims to his X post. He said the president's policies were having catastrophic consequences, adding that Texas has no choice but to "escalate our efforts to secure the state."

On Tuesday, Eagle Pass Mayor Rolando Salinas issued an emergency declaration due to "the severe undocumented immigrant surge" into the city. In a press release, Salinas said the action "grants us the ability to request financial resources to provide the additional services caused by the influx of the undocumented immigrants."

"There has been a situation the last couple of days where we have gotten an influx of immigrants crossing through Eagle Pass. And it has taken a toll on our local resources," Salinas told NewsNow. "I've been getting a lot of calls from our constituents, and they get worried—they see a lot of a lot of people in our community. But it is my understanding that some of these people, they don't want to be there. So they're leaving (the shelters), and they're on our streets, and I understand the concerns of a lot of people."

In an earlier post, Abbott accused the Biden administration of cutting razor wire erected by the state to deter migrant crossings. The president said: "I immediately deployed more Texas National Guard to repel illegal crossings and install more razor wire." However, Mayor Salinas said it appeared that federal officials did not cut the wire; instead it was some of the migrants. "Once they cut it, it kind of opened the floodgates," he said to The New York Times. Newsweek is working to verify these claims.

On Tuesday, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas announced the federal government had extended temporary protective status for existing Venezuelan asylum seekers in the U.S. This was due to "increased instability and lack of safety due to the enduring humanitarian, security, political, and environmental conditions" in the country, meaning those who arrived before the end of July are protected from removal and allowed to work. Mayorkas said in a statement that "it is critical that Venezuelans understand that those who have arrived here after July 31, 2023 are not eligible for such protection, and instead will be removed when they are found to not have a legal basis to stay."

The influx of crossings is set against an ongoing legal showdown between the U.S. Government and the state of Texas. In July, the Department of Justice sued the Lone Star State and Gov. Abbott, saying Texas has violated the law by building the buoys in the Rio Grande, including near Eagle Pass, without authorization. The DOJ wants Texas officials to remove the barriers at the state's expense.

In the lawsuit, the DOJ said that the barrier obstructed "the navigable capacity of waters of the United States" and that it raised humanitarian, environmental and public-safety concerns. The DOJ asked a federal court in Austin, Texas, to order the state's border barrier to be removed, citing the Rivers and Harbors Appropriation Act of 1899 that bars unauthorized construction in a navigable waterway.

Newsweek has contacted Governor Greg Abbott, Mayor Rolando Salinas and the White House via email for comment.