Abbott reverses order to shut down border crossings, blames Biden for confusion

(KWTX) - Texas Governor Greg Abbot on Thursday reversed a decision to shut down six border crossings in South Texas, and now says he has ordered state authorities to maintain a presence around ports of entry in order to deter illegal entry into Texas.

The governor’s actions come as thousands of migrants from Haiti await entry into the U.S. across the border from Del Rio.

A CBP spokesperson told the Texas Tribune the federal government, which operates ports of entry at the U.S.-Mexico border, had no plans to shut down any ports of entry.

Texas officials say thousands of migrants have gathered under a bridge along the U.S. Southern border. The Mayor of Del Rio told KGNS-TV that approximately 5,600 migrants are waiting to be taken into custody under the Del Rio International Bridge.

The bridge connects Del Rio and the Mexican city of Ciudad Acuña. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the bridge is being used as a temporary staging site because it is a shaded area.

The Del Rio mayor has asked the Department of Homeland Security to step in to help. CBP says Border Patrol is sending more agents to assist with the Del Rio area.

In a statement sent to KXAN TV earlier in the day, Abbott blamed the Biden Administration for the crisis and said he had ordered the closure of border crossings in the region.

“The sheer negligence of the Biden Administration to do their job and secure the border is appalling. I have directed the Department of Public Safety and the Texas National Guard to surge personnel and vehicles to shut down six points of entry along the southern border to stop these caravans from overrunning our state,” Abbott told KXAN.

A few hours later, Abbott sent out a new statement in which he blamed the Biden Administration for the confusion.

The president “has now flip-flopped to a different strategy that abandons border security and instead makes it easier for people to cross illegally and for cartels to exploit the border,” the governor said.

“I have directed the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Texas National Guard to maintain their presence at and around ports of entry to deter crossings.”

Copyright 2021 KWTX. All rights reserved.