A group of Democratic lawmakers from Texas have urged the state’s Republican governor, Greg Abbott, to halt his aggressive southern border security campaign. This comes after a report alleging that Texas authorities were ordered to deny water to migrants in extreme heat and to push migrant children back into the Rio Grande River.
The allegations that Texas authorities gave orders that put migrants in potentially life-threatening situations were reported by the Houston Chronicle; they cited an email from a Texas Department of Public Safety paramedic and trooper.
Led by Representative Joaquin Castro, the state Democrats called on President Joe Biden to use federal authority to halt Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s efforts if Abbott refuses to stop the Operation Lone Star border security initiative.
Castro said the Justice Department should complete an ongoing investigation into possible civil rights violations under the Texas operation, and that they should issue a cease-and-desist order. Castro called the governor’s policies “inhumane.”
In recent months, Texas National Guard troops have used razor wire to block migrants from crossing the Rio Grande from Mexico to Texas. Last week, Texas authorities began installing a floating barrier in the middle of the river near Eagle Pass, Texas; this sparked a diplomatic complaint from Mexico.
A State Department spokesperson said Texas had not consulted with federal officials before either of the previous two actions.
The number of migrants caught crossing the illegally has dropped since Biden implemented a restrictive new asylum policy during the spring. Even so, roughly 100,000 were apprehended in June alone.
