Texas Governor Greg Abbott took immediate action to enhance border security by installing new razor wire at the U.S-Mexico border on Monday. This step was prompted by a recent incident in El Paso, where a sizable group of migrants overpowered the National Guard and breached the concertina wire fencing.
On Thursday, members of the Texas National Guard were captured on videos posted on X, formerly Twitter, as they tried to hold back a group of migrants who were attempting to breach the fencing in El Paso.
In a video shared by New York Post reporter Jennie Taer on X, she vividly captured the moment when migrants overwhelmed the Texas National Guard, as they forcefully pulled down a fence.
According to a spokesperson from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in El Paso, the border surge commenced at around 11 a.m. on Thursday. A significant number of migrants were involved in the incident, as they managed to breach the Texas National Guard’s concertina wire barricades situated between the Rio Grande and the border wall near Midway Drive and Loop 375.
On Monday, Governor Abbott announced the addition of more razor wire and National Guard soldiers in El Paso. He remains determined to continue the fight, stating that the Supreme Court’s ruling on the temporary removal of razor wire along the southern border is not the end of the matter.
Abbott’s office has been contacted by Newsweek via email for comment.
“Over the weekend, additional Texas National Guard soldiers were deployed and more razor wire was installed at the border in El Paso. The ongoing efforts aim to reinforce border barriers and deter any illegal immigrants from entering. Governor Abbott expressed confidence in Texas’ ability to hold the line and ensure border security.”
Tensions between Texan authorities and the federal government regarding the management of illegal migration along the southern border have reached a boiling point in recent months. The Supreme Court’s decision on January 22 allowed federal agents to remove razor wire that had been installed along the border at the request of Abbott, which provoked a strong reaction from the Republican governor. He argued that his state was facing an “invasion” and asserted its constitutional authority to defend and safeguard itself.
Furthermore, the dispute surrounding the measures intensified as the federal government expressed apprehensions regarding the environmental and humanitarian repercussions of the deterrent. In the past, the presence of physical barriers such as razor wire, floating barriers in the Rio Grande, and towering walls reaching up to 30 feet have resulted in numerous instances of injuries, drownings, and tragic fatalities.
El Paso is known for being a sought-after location for migrants, and according to local doctors, injuries sustained from falls off the tall border walls have become increasingly frequent and devastating, particularly affecting the lower extremities.
According to David Stout, who has served as a county commissioner in El Paso’s Precinct 2 for nearly a decade, Abbott and his team are intentionally seeking “chaos” at the border in order to gain political advantage.
“They are driven by the desire to sow chaos,” Stout asserted. “Their aim is to divert attention from the pressing issues we face at the border. Their ultimate goal is to exploit this chaos and propagate their narrative of a border in disarray.”
