Gov. Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration Tuesday in 34 counties along Texas’ southern border in response to the increase in immigrants illegally crossing the border.
Abbott’s declaration authorizes the use of state and local resources to assist state and local law enforcement to protect Texans in these counties from property damage, trespassing, smuggling and human trafficking.
“President Biden’s open-border policies have paved the way for dangerous gangs and cartels, human traffickers, and deadly drugs like fentanyl to pour into our communities,” Abbott said in a statement. “Meanwhile, landowners along the border are seeing their property damaged and vandalized on a daily basis while the Biden Administration does nothing to protect them.”
The order directs the Texas Commission on Jail Standards and the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement to work with border counties to expand capacity for detention. It calls on the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to end licenses for child care facilities involved in federal contracts to shelter or detain undocumented immigrants. Abbott also directed these agencies to streamline procedures for licensing and transfers, and to address any staffing issues that may arise in expanding capacity.
“Texas continues to step up to confront the border crisis in the federal government’s absence, but more must be done. By declaring a state of disaster in these counties, Texas will have more resources and strategies at our disposal to protect landowners and enforce all federal and state laws to combat criminal activities stemming from the border crisis,” Abbott said. “Working together with local law enforcement, the state will continue to take robust and meaningful action to keep our communities safe.”
Farmers and ranchers along the border continue to share stories of financial hardship and disruption from the surge of illegal immigrants. View their stories on Texas Farm Bureau’s Border Crisis Impacts webpage.