Abbott asks Biden to declare federal emergency, provide help with migrant surge near Del Rio, Texas

Updated at 1:50 p.m .: to include comments from White House Spokeswoman Jen Psaki.

AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott on Monday called on President Joe Biden to declare a federal emergency and provide resources to help state and local authorities deal with a surge in migrants on the Texas-Mexico border near Del Rio.

The “failure of the federal government to enforce immigration laws, and particularly its failure to stop illegal crossings on a dam on federal property under the sole jurisdiction of the federal government,” overwhelms the ability of Texas, Del Rio, and Val Verde Counties to focus on a “concentrated climb.” “Responding by immigrants who illegally crossed the border on Wednesday, Abbott said in a press release and letter to Biden.

The migrants, many from Haiti, camped near the Del Rio International Bridge and on Saturday their number hit around 16,000, the Republican governor said in his letter.

“Thousands of families are being immobilized in 100-degree heat as their numbers continue to rise as they wait to be dealt with by the roughly 64 federal agents in the area,” wrote Abbott. “Individuals camp in miserable conditions and bathe in the muddy river water, which causes major health concerns.”

White House press secretary Jen Psaki admitted Monday that videos of what was happening on the Del Rio bridge were worrying, but said the federal government is already acting on several fronts to both aid migrants there as well as improving conditions in Haiti.

“It’s a challenging situation,” Psaki said at a press conference at the White House. “It is devastating to watch this footage. However, it is important that people also know what we are trying to protect people. “

While the Department of Homeland Security is adding to border patrol and immigration and customs officers in the Del Rio area, the federal government is also “taking a multi-pronged approach,” Psaki said.

The effort includes American Red Cross relief and supplies, meals from World Central Kitchen, and “return flights” to either countries in Latin America or Haiti, she said.

On Sunday, the federal government began to fly some of the migrants back to Haiti. Yellow police tape was used to prevent migrants from using a small dam to get into the US

Many of the migrants have lived in Latin America for years, but they are now seeking asylum in the US as economic opportunities dry up in Brazil and elsewhere, the Associated Press reported.

Abbott told the Democratic President that the Del Rio disaster “is of such severity that additional federal assistance is needed to reduce the risk of disaster, save lives and property, protect public health and safety”. He applied for three types of federal aid.

Since Abbott declared a state of disaster in the border counties on May 31, Texas has spent $ 84 million “over and above its regular funds” to address the ongoing crisis on our international border, the governor wrote.

“The state of Texas is doing more than any other state to protect the border, but more is needed,” Abbott said.

He ticked how the Texas Department of Public Security sent hundreds of state police officers to border areas enforcing state laws against trespassing, smuggling and human trafficking; and how the Texas National Guard is helping erect a state border fence, assisting with arrests, and recently dispatching more than 1,000 soldiers “to the Del Rio sector alone.”

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice, which operates the state prison system, operates a processing center for migrants arrested on state charges in Val Verde County, Abbott added.

The “capabilities” of law enforcement agencies were being “stretched,” he wrote, both in the border region and across the country.

“Several US Border Patrol checkpoints are currently closed so that criminals smuggling people and drugs can travel freely into the state. The Texas Department of Public Security and the Texas National Guard are forced to dispatch thousands of civil servants to the area, even though immigration and border security are federal jurisdictions. “

On Monday, Psaki was not specifically asked about Abbott’s request for a federal emergency declaration.

However, she was asked after Houston Democratic MP Sheila Jackson Lee called for the Biden government to send immigration personnel to Del Rio to hear the asylum applications of individual Haitians who fear for their safety if they are returned.

That’s difficult, Psaki admitted, because the government continues to enforce a provision known as Title 42, a pandemic-related agency passed by former President Donald Trump in March 2020 that allows migrants to get out of the country immediately deport without having the opportunity to seek asylum. Biden excluded unaccompanied children from the order, but left the rest.

“This is not the time to come to the US,” she said.

Psaki turned down proposals that the US would discriminate against Haiti in enforcing immigration services. She pointed out that the Minister of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, announced a new temporary protection status for Haiti on May 22, which could protect against deportation in certain cases. The US is also trying to help Haiti recover from an earthquake, a presidential attack and civil unrest, she said.

“We definitely want … to support Haiti at a very difficult time,” she said.

Psaki was also asked for photos of border guards on horseback who appeared to be using whips, or at least the ends of the reins, as they tried to fend off Haitian migrants on the edge of the Rio Grande in Del Rio.

“I don’t think anyone seeing this footage would consider it acceptable or appropriate,” said Psaki, emphasizing that she had just seen photos and videos late Monday morning.

“I don’t have the full context,” she said. “It’s horrible to watch. I just need to get more information about it. “

Abbott, meanwhile, called for tougher federal crackdowns on the migrant flood in Del Rio.

On Thursday, the governor condemned the Biden government for refusing to close ports of entry in the region.

“The Biden administration is in utter disarray and is handling the border crisis as badly as it has handled the evacuation from Afghanistan,” Abbott said in a statement.

Since last winter Abbott has increasingly voiced criticism of Biden’s immigration policy, saying it has encouraged a spate of illicit crossings by migrants from many countries. In March he started Operation Lone Star and sent police and guards to border areas.

In June, Abbott announced that Texas would resume building a border barrier that Trump was trying to create. After Congress rejected his monetary demands, Trump skimmed funds from the Department of Defense’s construction budget.

After Biden froze billions in spending on Trump’s government-funded wall effort, Abbott cobbled together about $ 1 billion in government funding for border barriers. A crowdsourcing push has raised approximately $ 54.3 million from private donors, according to an Abbott website.

In the second special legislative session of the year, which ended earlier this month, Abbott also secured $ 100 million in government funding to launch a grant program for Operation Lone Star.

On Monday, his office announced that it would be accepting applications. The money will help local law enforcement agencies, prison administrations, medical examiners and court administrators.

At Abbott’s urging, they assist in the arrest, detention and prosecution of illegal immigrants on charges of trespassing and criminal mischief, as well as serious charges of smuggling and trafficking in human beings. The coroners examine human remains.

While Abbott said he is pulling out all the stops to keep Texas communities safe, one of his Republican challengers in next year’s gubernatorial primaries, Dallas businessman Don Huffines, said it was not enough on Monday.

“Once again, @GregAbbott_TX is looking for @JoeBiden instead of doing what is necessary,” tweeted Huffines, a former state senator. He reiterated a provision in the US Constitution that allows states to go to war without the approval of Congress if they are ambushed. Huffines says the migrants are an invasion.

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