The Texas National Guard attempted to stop illegal immigrant from further entering the United States in the Del Rio Sector on Wednesday by locking a gate in a fencing section along the Rio Grande as the area continues to be a major crossing point.
Border Patrol agents later came to the scene and had to unlock the gate as they are required by policy to take people who turn themselves in so they can be processed and released. The crossing point is located on private property just outside of Eagle Pass, Texas.
NEW: For the first time, we witnessed the TX National Guard close & lock a gate on private property at a major crossing area in Eagle Pass, denying entry to migrants who just crossed illegally & expected to be let in. Border Patrol then came w/ a key & let them in for processing. pic.twitter.com/S1fZaTJnEi
— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) August 17, 2022
This was the moment Border Patrol arrived with the key and let the migrants in. The landowner allows both TX DPS/National Guard and Border Patrol to work here. The gate has always been left open in the past. TX is now closing it, & migrants have to wait for BP to be let in. pic.twitter.com/AR4S9Vn3qH
— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) August 17, 2022
NEW: Part of a huge group of approx 200 that crossed illegally into private property in Eagle Pass, TX this afternoon. Some holding infants & babies.
— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) August 17, 2022
Shout out to our drone team, which continues to capture amazing images from an aerial perspective every day here. @FoxNews pic.twitter.com/jhX20h6J6c
While members of the Texas National Guard are augmenting Texas state troopers who have been deployed to the southern border under Operation Lone Star, they do not have the final authority to prevent illegal entry as that job falls under Border Patrol's jurisdiction. That is not to say the Texas National Guard hasn't made attempts to stop the flow of illegal crossings, but they are only legally authorized to do so much.
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