In an incident replete with symbolism, a video shows Biden administration agents opening a gate that the Texas National Guard had closed to keep illegal immigrants out of the country.
Fox News reporter Bill Melugin shared the video Wednesday on his Twitter account.
“For the first time, we witnessed the TX National Guard close & lock a gate on private property at a major crossing area in Eagle Pass, denying entry to migrants who just crossed illegally & expected to be let in. Border Patrol then came w/ a key & let them in for processing,” he said in his first tweet.
“This was the moment Border Patrol arrived with the key and let the migrants in. The landowner allows both TX DPS/National Guard and Border Patrol to work here. The gate has always been left open in the past. TX is now closing it, & migrants have to wait for BP to be let in,” Melugin added.
This was the moment Border Patrol arrived with the key and let the migrants in. The landowner allows both TX DPS/National Guard and Border Patrol to work here. The gate has always been left open in the past. TX is now closing it, & migrants have to wait for BP to be let in. pic.twitter.com/AR4S9Vn3qH
— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) August 17, 2022
Melugin said federal agents have long opened such gates for illegal immigrants, but Texas is no longer standing by to watch it happen.
“Border Patrol opening gates etc to allow migrants in is not new. They have to process migrants on U.S. soil per federal law. What’s new is TX is now closing the gate & denying entry at this major crossing location. Always open in months past,” he said in a follow-up tweet.
Is President Biden to blame for this?
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott reacted to the video in a tweet.
“Unbelievable. While Texas secures the border, the federal government is enabling illegal immigration. Biden’s open border policies caused this crisis. The federal government must do its job & fix it,” the Republican tweeted.
Unbelievable.
While Texas secures the border, the federal government is enabling illegal immigration.
Biden’s open border policies caused this crisis.
The federal government must do its job & fix it. https://t.co/4yqR8uQMo8
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) August 17, 2022
The video was released as the flow of illegal immigrants into America has swamped border states and is on track to hit a record 2 million by the end of the federal fiscal year on Sept. 30, according to The Wall Street Journal.
So far this fiscal year, the Border Patrol has made 1.81 million arrests at the U.S.-Mexico border, according to data from Customs and Border Protection. That already eclipses the record of 1.66 million set in the previous fiscal year.
“What will it take for Joe Biden to address the devastation and death at the southern border he created with his open border agenda?” Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said in a statement Monday.
“Voters know this is Biden’s border crisis and they will make Democrats face the consequences in November,” she said.
Joel Villarreal, mayor of Rio Grande City, Texas, said a new plan needs to be developed to secure the border, according to Fox News.
‘”You cannot have one state or a few municipalities deal with the brunt of this immigration,” Villarreal said. “We have to find a plan — a national plan.”
“And by the way, border communities are in favor of securing the border,” he added.
The mayor said President Joe Biden should take the first step.
“If you’re the president, call the governor, sit down and have a conversation,” Villareal said, adding that failure to collaborate means “we’re going to continue to have this divide about immigration and border security.”
