Texas has seized control of a 50-acre park on the Rio Grande against the wishes of Eagle Pass Mayor Rolando Salinas. The park was blocked off with fencing and military vehicles by the Texas Department of Public Safety to prevent migrants from illegally entering the state from Mexico. This seizure is part of Governor Greg Abbott’s Operation Lone Star, designed to deter unlawful crossings. The city was not consulted on this action and is now seeking legal options to regain control of the park.
Mayor Salinas expressed his strong opposition to the state’s takeover of Shelby Park, stating that the city did not agree to or want this. He believes that U.S. Border Patrol Agents are being kept from entering the area and expects this issue to be litigated between the federal and state governments. Although he claims that CBP agents would be blocked from the park, Abbott’s office did not directly respond to these allegations. The move comes after Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas visited the city and met with CBP agents, further escalating the ongoing border dispute between Texas and the Biden administration.
The controversial seizure of the park highlights the tension between Texas and the federal government over border security. Governor Abbott’s administration blames President Biden for the surge in illegal immigration, using this as justification for increasing security measures at the border. With city officials now exploring legal recourse to regain control of Shelby Park, it remains to be seen how this conflict will be resolved and what the implications will be for border policy.
