Brandon Judd, President of the National Border Patrol Council, commended Texas Governor Greg Abbott for sealing off a section of the southern border, which he said enables “us to deploy our resources to other areas.”
Closing the Border: A Step Too Far?
This development followed a report from federal authorities that agents were hindered from answering a distress signal from Mexico.
Necessary Action?
Last week, the Texas National Guard and state troopers enclosed Shelby Park with razor wire and fencing, barring the U.S. Border Patrol from a 2.5-mile portion of the Rio Grande at Eagle Pass.
Court Battle
The Justice Department, currently challenging several of Abbott’s immigration deterrence strategies in court, revealed that the park contains a boat ramp regularly used by Border Patrol for river operations and a nearby staging area for inspecting apprehended migrants.
Tragic Drowning Sparks Debate
Abbott’s recent measures to curb illegal immigration at the southern border have drawn criticism from federal officials, especially after the tragic drowning of a woman and two children in the Rio Grande at Eagle Pass on Friday.
Border Patrol Hindered
The DHS highlighted that the blocking of this area prevented border agents from intervening in the incident, stating, “In responding to a distress call from the Mexican government, Border Patrol agents were physically barred by Texas officials from entering the area.”
Emergency Access Denied
Texas Democrat Representative Henry Cuellar stated that when border agents sought entry at the Shelby Park Entrance Gate, they were denied access by the Texas Military Department (TMD) and the Texas National Guard, even in emergency situations.
TMD’s Defense
According to Cuellar, the agents were informed that a soldier would be dispatched to assess the situation instead. Contrarily, the TMD refuted these claims in their statement, asserting that they did not obstruct the Border Patrol from rescuing drowning migrants.
Mexican Authorities Step In
They clarified that by the time the Border Patrol requested access, the drownings had already happened, Mexican authorities were retrieving the bodies, and this information was communicated to the TMD personnel present.
Abbott Responds
Governor Greg Abbott took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to respond to the migrant drowning issue. He criticized Rep. Cuellar and some media entities for quickly pointing fingers at Texas without gathering all the facts.
Defending Texas Against Blame
Abbott pointed out that when Border Patrol sought river access, the drownings had already taken place, and the victims were found in Mexico. He attributed the fatalities to what he terms as “Biden’s Open Border magnet.”
Judd’s Seal of Approval
Meanwhile, Brandon Judd, President of the National Border Patrol Council, commended Abbott during an appearance on Fox Business Network’s ‘Mornings with Maria.’
Operational Limits
In the interview, which was posted online Monday, Judd supported Abbott’s stance, labeling the current narrative from the Department of Homeland Security as ‘propaganda.’ he said, “What we know about this is that even if we would’ve had access to the river, we wouldn’t have been able to get there on time.”
No Nighttime Boats
Judd added, “We do not have boats that operate at night, and if we tried to deploy our boats to that river at that time, those people would’ve already drowned. So, there’s nothing we could have done, even if we had access to Shelby Park. And I’m telling you, we don’t need access to Shelby Park.”
Addressing ‘Gotaways’ Effectively
Judd expressed gratitude for Abbott’s actions, explaining that it allows for the redeployment of resources to areas that haven’t been patrolled in years. He emphasized the importance of this move in addressing the issue of ‘gotaways,’ a group he views as problematic in the U.S.
A ‘Force Multiplier’
Judd praised Abbott’s strategy as a ‘force multiplier’ and beneficial for Americans, contrasting it with President Joe Biden’s approach, which he critiqued as caring “more about his base than he does about the American people.”
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