White House Blames Texas Gov. Abbott for Blocking Border Patrol from Rescuing Drowning Migrants

The White House and the Department of Homeland Security placed blame on Governor Greg Abbott for the deaths of three immigrants at the Texas border, accusing him of obstructing federal agents from conducting life-saving emergency rescues.

White House Assistant Press Secretary Angelo Fernández Hernández stated that the drowning incident near Eagle Pass occurred as Texas officials blocked U.S. Border Patrol from providing emergency assistance.

White House blames Abbott for ‘blocking’ Border Patrol from rescuing drowning immigrants: ‘Inhumane’ https://t.co/lhiCG0h4Vi

— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) January 15, 2024

The email emphasized the dangerous consequences of Governor Abbott's actions and called them cruel and inhumane political stunts.

The conflict arose after Texas sealed off city parkland and a golf course in Eagle Pass, preventing federal employees, including law enforcement, from accessing the area.

This move was described as an unexpected "takeover" of city land, aiming to fence out federal law enforcement from the international boundary. The Biden Justice Department responded by filing a memo, accusing Abbott of hindering federal agents and warning about their inability to respond to emergency situations.

Abbott's spokesperson, Renae Eze, defended the state's actions, emphasizing efforts to deter illegal immigration and blaming President Biden's border policies.

The Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection later revealed that Border Patrol agents attempted to respond to the drowning incident but were refused access by Texas authorities to the seized city land.

The tragic incident involved six migrants attempting to cross the river, going into distress. Border Patrol agents, despite being fenced out, were aware of the situation and tried to contact Texas officials.

They were barred from entering the area by Texas Military Department soldiers. Three of the migrants drowned, leading to accusations against Texas for obstructing the Border Patrol's essential missions and posing grave risks.

CBP expressed grave concern about actions hindering the Border Patrol's duties in arresting individuals entering the U.S. unlawfully and providing a humanitarian response to those in need.

The DHS called Governor Abbott's policies cruel, dangerous, and inhumane, urging Texas to stop interfering with federal immigration enforcement despite the Biden administration's ongoing border crisis of its own making.