Texas (Washington Insider Magazine) – In addition, Texas designated Mexican drug cartels and criminal groups as foreign terrorist organizations in the state.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law a package of border security laws Thursday that expands the Republican’s efforts to curb immigrant arrivals and drug trafficking, and announced a “new buoy barrier” on the Rio Grande.
The six-law package includes a measure that expands the authority of US Border Patrol agents to search and arrest suspects for serious crimes established by Texas law at border checkpoints.
“Thanks to the leadership and hard work of Director McCraw, General Suelzer, and their teams, Texas has weathered the wave of immigrants and stood strong to keep people out of Texas, but much remains to be done.” said Governor Abbott.
Another measure authorizes the Texas military to use drones to monitor the Texas-Mexico border.
It also designates Mexican drug cartels and criminal groups as foreign terrorist organizations in the state of Texas, and increases state penalties for crimes committed by these groups.
The package of laws also allows the governor of Texas to coordinate and execute pacts with other states for border security without counting on the approval of the United States Congress.
Floating marine barriers on the Rio Grande
Governor Abbott also announced the deployment of new floating sea barriers to deter illegal crossings at critical points along the Rio Grande.
This strategy will proactively prevent illegal crossings between ports of entry by making it more difficult to cross the Rio Grande and reach the Texas side of the southern border. The first 1,000 feet of the floating sea barrier will be deployed near Eagle Pass.
“These buoys will allow us to prevent people from reaching the border,” said the Texas governor.
Texas Department of Public Safety Director Col. Steven McCraw said the buoys can be deployed quickly and are mobile.
It should be remembered since President Joe Biden came to the White House in 2021, Abbott has accused the Democratic Administration of “keeping the doors open at the border” and causing an “unprecedented” crisis.
Abbott is still waiting for the Texas Senate to pass another package of laws on immigration and border security.
This article is authored by EI Diario