Texas will build its own border wall in response to migrant crisis, governor announces

“While securing the border is the federal government’s responsibility, Texas will not sit idly by as this crisis grows,” Gov. Abbott said.

Border Patrol agents intercepted a human smuggling attempt in late May in Laredo, Texas, when they stopped a commercial truck hauling a tanker trailer and discovered more than 50 illegal immigrants inside. (Chief Patrol Agent Matthew J. Hudak/Flickr)

(Daily Caller News Foundation) — Texas will build its own border wall as migrants continue illegally entering the state, Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced Thursday, the Austin American-Statesman reported.

Abbott hosted a border security meeting with Texas law enforcement officials to discuss how they can combat illegal entry at the border, according to Abbott.

Abbott criticized the Biden administration’s policies for causing an increase in illegal migration to the southern border.

“I will announce next week the plan for the state of Texas to begin building the border wall in the state of Texas,” Abbott said, the American-Statesman reported.

The Biden admin promised to end border wall construction, but continued seizing Texans’ land through April for new sections of the wall to be installed, the Daily Caller News Foundation reported.

“President Biden’s open-border policies have led to a humanitarian crisis at our southern border as record levels of illegal immigrants, drugs, and contraband pour into Texas,” Abbott said in a statement.

The Biden administration threatened Tuesday to sue Abbott if the state follows through with plans to close federal facilities holding migrant minors operating in the state, the DCNF reported. The Biden administration argued Abbott’s disaster declaration discriminates against the federal government by targeting facilities it contracts with.

“While securing the border is the federal government’s responsibility, Texas will not sit idly by as this crisis grows,” Abbott added. “The state is working collaboratively with communities impacted by the crisis to arrest and detain individuals coming into Texas illegally.”

Customs and Border Protection officials apprehended over 180,000 migrants at the southern border in May, according to the agency. Nearly 51,000 of migrants apprehended in May were encountered along Texas’ Rio Grande Valley sector and another 40,000 were apprehended in the Laredo and Del Rio sectors.

 

Kaylee Greenlee

Kaylee Greenlee is a reporter at the Daily Caller.