The migrant crisis in Texas and California, the states that are at the forefront of the issue of illegal immigration, has taken different directions since a few weeks ago. For more than three years, Texas has been combating illegal immigration at the border by implementing various measures under the state-funded Operation Lone Star. These efforts have finally provided bigger results since a few weeks ago, when multiple reports showed that migrant encounters had decreased across all border sectors in the state.
The California crisis
On the contrary, the migrant crisis has intensified in California since the start of the year. Migrants who wish to cross the border illegally are required to seek alternative routes and entry points because entering the country through Texas has become next to impossible. The waves of migrants continue to appear every day at the border in Southern California. Furthermore, Golden State’s sanctuary state status makes it easier for migrants to bypass the strict border procedures, frequently entering the country without all the necessary safety checks.
Incidents part of the problem
Incidents at the border are part of the larger illegal immigration crisis. A growing number of migrants who try to jump over the recently improved border wall in California are being admitted to nearby hospitals for treatment, negatively impacting the local health system and its ability to handle the influx of patients. Texas, meanwhile, is seeing different kinds of incidents.
In recent months, migrants have clashed with American authorities on numerous occasions. One such incident happened in March, when hundreds of migrants tried to storm the border and got past Texas soldiers. Nearly two months later, this incident caught the attention of the public again because the migrants arrested in that specific clash will face no charges.
Charges dismissed
The dropping of riot charges against 211 migrants who surged across the border in El Paso, Texas, has been a disheartening event for those managing illegal crossings, a soldier from the Texas National Guard expressed. The incident, which was intensely violent and caught on video by The New York Post on March 21, involved migrants breaking through wire barriers set up by the state and attacking soldiers who were coordinating their processing with Border Patrol.
Siding with criminals
In the turmoil, a soldier’s knee was severely injured. After the legal charges were dismissed, the individuals involved in the disturbance were let go from local detention. The interviewed soldier told The New York Post that the absence of penalties might encourage further aggressive incidents against border authorities.
“These El Paso liberals are literally siding with criminals over our own police and military,” the soldier, who is working at the border as part of Operation Lone Star, said. “All it does is send a message that illegals can do whatever they want and get away with it. It sets a precedent and will encourage more behavior like that going forward,” the soldier added.
Migrants given to the feds
At the end of last week, those acquitted, who had entered the country illegally, were transferred to federal authorities for further processing, stated El Paso District Attorney Bill Hicks. Hicks mentioned that it is probable some of them might be allowed to remain in the US to seek asylum. Federal officials have not provided comments on whether any of the migrants were still detained as of Tuesday or if any were released into the US, potentially under an electronic monitoring program. On May 8, El Paso County Judge Ruben Morales dismissed the cases, explaining that he was compelled to do so because the state failed to provide necessary documents.
El Paso County Judge Ruben Morales during a court hearing said “If I don’t have jurisdiction, there’s nothing I can do on these cases [except dismiss them].”
Nevertheless, as most migrants are typically released from federal custody within 72 hours, by the time any appeal is processed, those not deported are likely to have already left Texas. The dismissed riot charges could have led to a maximum of 180 days in jail and a fine of up to $2,000.
Further securing critical spots
After the border breach, Texas deployed hundreds more troops to El Paso and added extra fencing under Operation Lone Star, an initiative aimed at managing the border turmoil. This increase in security has shifted the flow of migrants westward, making San Diego the new hotspot for illegal entries.
In April, border agents in San Diego made approximately 37,000 arrests of migrants entering illegally. Since President Biden’s inauguration in 2021, over 7 million individuals have been apprehended by agents while attempting to cross the southern border illegally, according to the most recent data from Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
