The Texas National Guard attempted to stop illegal immigrant from further entering the United States in the Del Rio Sector on Wednesday by locking a gate in a fencing section along the Rio Grande as the area continues to be a major crossing point.
Border Patrol agents later came to the scene and had to unlock the gate as they are required by policy to take people who turn themselves in so they can be processed and released. The crossing point is located on private property just outside of Eagle Pass, Texas.
While members of the Texas National Guard are augmenting Texas state troopers who have been deployed to the southern border under Operation Lone Star, they do not have the final authority to prevent illegal entry as that job falls under Border Patrol’s jurisdiction. That is not to say the Texas National Guard hasn’t made attempts to stop the flow of illegal crossings, but they are only legally authorized to do so much.
