Headed downstream from Shelby Park in Eagle Pass I saw how the state of Texas is waging war against migrants. But immigrants aren’t at war with Texas – they are desperately seeking peace.
Off the dock and into the water, I was immediately overwhelmed. Military airboats roared through the river, tanks thrashed along the banks. Sharp concertina wire and shipping containers lined the U.S. side, a stark contrast to the park across the border in Piedras Negras, Mexico, where murals bloomed and children played. The wire-laced surface of the shipping containers gleamed under the watchful eyes of armed soldiers, transforming the riverbank into a militarized zone. Ripped clothes, backpacks, and stuffed animals snagged on the wire – strong evidence of its failure. The wire has been a symbol of the division between Texas and the federal government. It is the focus of multiple lawsuits, including the 2023 Supreme Court decision to allow federal agents to cut the wire for medical emergencies.
My colleague, Priscilla Lugo, and I were accompanied by Jesse Fuentes, an activist and river guide. His family has lived here for generations, but the government takeover for migration enforcement has pushed border residents out of their own land. He became a river guide to show people the land he loved. It was heartbreaking to be accompanied by someone who sued Governor Greg Abbott to regain access to the river that is in his own generational homeland.
Priscilla Lugo and Manuela Osario were accompanied by Jesse Fuentes, an activist and river guide. His family has lived here for generations, but the government takeover for migration enforcement has pushed border residents out of their own land.Priscilla Lugo
On the U.S. side, law enforcement apprehended some groups while others seemed to be let off to continue their trek. Then, where the river raged at its deepest and widest, we spotted a woman clutching a child, screaming for her life as her baby cried in anguish. Her words, “Ayudenme! Se los ruego…,” still echo in my head. The Texas National Guard watched, seemingly waiting to see just how close to death she could get before they would step in to help. The family eventually returned to shore. Our canoe of three was overcome with silence. We contemplated in distress, and continued to row. We felt powerless.
In early January, a media scandal occurred when a mother and her two children drowned attempting to cross the Rio Grande. State agencies avoided any responsibility over their deaths, while the federal government claimed that expulsion of border patrol from the area by the state of Texas is going to interfere with federal agent’s ability to perform life-saving measures. No state or federal agency keeps exact track of migrant deaths or drownings. As of mid-February 2024, at least 17 migrants had drowned in the area, according to the Eagle Pass Fire Department.
As an immigrant to this country, I had wanted to see for myself what the government was doing to migrants at the border. News reports about atrocities happening around the world can shock, but being present and experiencing the visceral trauma of desperation has a profoundly different impact. Hearing screams of distress, feeling the rushing water, seeing the barbed wire and weaponry close up – it laid bare the overwhelming reality of oppression faced by migrants and border residents. This is a reality my family and I were spared, but I empathize with those seeking a better life in a country that one promised: “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”
This militarization, meant to deter the “invasion,” is a political manipulation of the human nature of migration. Since the inception of Operation Lonestar in March of 2021, Gov. Abbott has escalated conflict with the federal government, claiming to control the Texas border. Instead, his methods create a terrifying environment that drives migrants into even more dangerous conditions.
Eagle Pass residents told me they want better access to health, education, and public safety that centers respect for human life. While sharing community meals, I connected with directly impacted people who told me they are terrified of law enforcement violence and want their tax dollars invested in their community’s long-term well-being. I spoke with a pastor, heartbroken over having to curtail support for migrants now that Texas has made giving rides to undocumented people illegal this year. Amerika Grewal of the Eagle Pass Border Coalition prepared 700 white crosses to place at Shelby Park to honor each of the migrants who lost their lives crossing the Southwest border in 2023.
Despite the human rights violations in their vicinity, border residents must continue to live their lives. Their communities grow resilient. With each other, they are growing networks of support for migrants. Meanwhile, the federal government makes an abysmal effort to process migrants and create long-lasting federal reforms regarding asylum, work authorization, and support for newly-arrived families. The current national backlog for asylum cases stands at 3 million, leaving many migrants in limbo for years. The lack of a coherent federal immigration policy creates a humanitarian crisis at the border and strains resources in border communities.
On March 23, President Biden signed an appropriations bill to drastically increase the surveillance and detention infrastructure of ICE and CBP, rather than increasing the funding for asylum and administrative needs to process incoming migrants. A 2022 poll by Decision Desk HQ found that a 70% majority of Americans support a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. It’s time for our federal government to reflect the will of the people and create a comprehensive immigration reform package that addresses the root causes of migration and provides a humane solution for those seeking a better life in the United States.
Texas wastes $11 billion dollars of taxpayer money on militarization, surveillance, and criminalization while de-prioritizing resources to necessities like education and mental healthcare. According to the office of the Texas governor, “Since the launch of Operation Lone Star, the multi-agency effort has led to over 496,700 illegal immigrant apprehensions.” As of the latest package of terrifying mandates, the Supreme Court has allowed Texas’ draconian deportation law, SB4, to go into effect, essentially letting the state enforce immigration. If the 5th Circuit Court allows SB4 to continue, we will see apprehensions drastically increase as all Texas peace officers will be legally able to arrest people assumed to be undocumented migrants. Migration patterns appear to be shifting away from Texas and towards Arizona and California, potentially due to the increased risk in traveling through the Rio Grande.
Our federal government needs to address the root causes of migration and create a long-lasting immigration system that builds up migrants to become contributing citizens and community members. Progressives across the U.S. must unite to challenge xenophobic state tactics like Operation Lone Star, support national immigration reform via Congress, and stand up for immigrant justice in our local neighborhoods. We must reject the cruelty of anti-immigrant narratives that are being fabricated. We need to demand systematic change from President Biden. This is a humanitarian crisis, not an immigration crisis, and certainly not an “invasion”. We are not bound to cruelty as policy. Let’s fight for an immigration system that centers the values of empathy and human dignity.