In a defiant response to the Biden administration's demands, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton affirmed in a letter on Wednesday the state's steadfast refusal to yield control of the southern border property.
Paxton's letter, obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation, reiterated Texas' commitment to maintaining authority over Shelby Park in Eagle Pass, dismissing the Biden administration's recent demand for relinquishment.
The clash escalated after the Biden administration's letter on Sunday, instructing Texas to cease efforts preventing Border Patrol access to Shelby Park by Wednesday, as reported by CNN.
Paxton, undeterred by ongoing legal battles, asserted in his response letter that Texas would persist in its border actions, including issues surrounding razor wire deployment and attempts to arrest migrants for illegal entry.
Sources say the Biden administration blames Texas for impeding border agents from rescuing three drowning migrants in the Rio Grande. However, a subsequent court filing by the Department of Justice (DOJ) contradicted these claims, revealing that federal authorities failed to inform state officials until after the tragic drownings occurred.
Paxton, in his response dated Jan. 14, 2024, contested the administration's complaints, stating, "Your letter misstates both the facts and the law in demanding that Texas surrender to President Biden's open-border policies."
Emphasizing that the facts and law were on Texas' side, he affirmed the state's intention to utilize its "constitutional authority to defend its territory." Paxton vowed to continue defending these efforts in court, urging the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to redirect its focus from suing Texas to enforcing existing immigration laws.
"Because the facts and law side with Texas, the State will continue utilizing its constitutional authority to defend her territory, and I will continue defending those lawful efforts in court. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) should stop wasting scarce time and resources suing Texas, and start enforcing the immigration laws Congress already has on the books," Paxton wrote.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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