In a move aiming to gain operational control of the southern border, the Texas General Land Office granted the state’s Department of Public Safety agents access to patrol several acres of islands in the Rio Grande where migrants hide.
"One of the things that [the] General Land Office does that most people don't know is, we determine this center of a waterway, which in this case is the actual border, we've been able to determine these islands belong to Texas," Texas Land Commissioner Dr. Dawn Buckingham said in an exclusive interview on "Mornings with Maria" Thursday. "We are going to give law enforcement every opportunity to patrol them."
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According to a map graphic, DPS agents will gain patrolling access to three small, vegetated islands that make up just more than 45 acres near the city of Eagle Pass. Buckingham noted that the popular migrant hideout hotspots contain the "very thick" carrizo cane plant, which officials plan to clear out.
"Even if you're standing five feet from me in that cane," the commissioner pointed out, "an infrared camera couldn't pick you up. So this is going to really help in our fight against the border."
Within the course of two days, Border Patrol agents made more than 10,000 migrant apprehensions and seized 52 pounds of fentanyl, Chief Raul Ortiz tweeted Wednesday. Buckingham predicted agents might soon find "all kinds of" clothes, trash and color-coordinated cartel wristbands as they cut down forage on the islands.
"[Migrants] basically hide out, and when the time is right, they make their final stretch. So we're going to take that away from their ability to access our state," Buckingham said. "We've acquired more than enough fentanyl to kill every man, woman and child in this country. And with this tragedy and the opioid overdoses, I just can't imagine that the Biden administration isn't paying attention and isn't taking thoughtful action to prevent these deaths."
The commissioner also called out China for fueling the fentanyl trade in Mexico, arguing it’s a "win-win" for those countries as they attempt to "destabilize" the U.S.
"It takes two to secure a border. But the bottom line is, until the Biden administration steps up and actually enforces our federal laws, this is going to continue. We have been dedicated in Texas to filling in where the federal government is not doing its job, but we're going to continue to fight every step of the way," Buckingham said.
The border crisis has also directly hit Texas communities, Buckingham claimed, while spotlighting the significant agricultural and economic impact.
"The ones that are hardest hit by this right out of the gate are ranchers. These migrants coming across, they cut the fences, which then, of course, the cattle are getting out onto the interstate, which is a huge liability," the commissioner explained.
"I've had many ranchers, and actually some of our agricultural leases on our state lands have had to remove all of their cattle because between turning off the water and the fences being cut, they just can't keep control of their cows and it's unsafe for everybody," she continued. "It is directly impactful to our folks who are struggling hard to be sure that we keep that food, fuel, and fiber going to the markets as needed."
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Buckingham said her office works every day to enact new laws that will give state and local law enforcement the ability to enforce border security and stop migrant gotaways.
"We're seeing hundreds of thousands of people a month come across our border. It is completely overwhelming," the commissioner said. "All of our communities, their medical resources, the schools and, of course, law enforcement that's trying to do the right thing… everything we can to get complete operational control of our border."
