Preface
Oh, Texas. A lot has been happening in the south over the past couple weeks. A rather unprecedented (at least in my lifetime) scenario is occurring. Texas has taken its reputation for simultaneous nationalism and self-sufficiency a step further and is publicly opposing the Federal government in America. Although this issue is very interesting news that we definitely do not see every day, it sheds light on the issue of immigration in America. Particularly, just as we explored in my post on immigration in Canada and international students (read here), the way migrants are viewed, treated and talked about internationally. Let’s take a look at what is happening at the Texas/Mexico border and discuss what this means for both Texas and migrants.
What’s Happening at the Texas/Mexico Border
This conflict has been steadily gaining attention and essentially been a ticking time bomb since Biden became the President of the United States. Following President Trump’s strict policies on immigration, a major stance that the Biden Administration brought to office was a more humanitarian approach to immigration. However, just as many people appreciated this change, many are criticizing President Biden’s “more relaxed” immigration policies and border control approaches. Specifically in Texas, there has been an increase of undocumented immigrants entering the country through the Rio Grande River and Eagle Pass border site that separates Texas from Mexico.
The exact amount of migrants that cross the border at Eagle Pass is inconclusive, as various sources cite different head counts. However, it is clear that there are thousands of undocumented migrants that cross at Eagle Pass each day (Calderon, 2023). Texas’ Governor, Greg Abbott, has been extremely vocal about the undocumented entry issue. Abbott explains that it has been a burden on the local economy and resources in Texas, without much support or aid from the Federal government.
The Governor has since accused the Biden Administration of failing to uphold their duty of protecting the country’s borders (Yan et al., 2024), and Texas has proceeded to take matters into their own hands. On January 10, 2024, Texas authorities seized control of a 2.5 mile stretch across the border in Eagle Pass. They have blocked Border Patrol and undocumented migrants from entering with the use of razor wire walls and gates (Yan et al., 2024). Just 2 days later, a migrant mother and her two children were found dead in the Rio Grande near the newly enforced Eagle Pass crossing (Yan et al., 2024).
The US Federal government and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have been engaged in conflict since January 10th. The DHS claims that immigration and border patrol is Federal jurisdiction, and Texas authorities are making this job more difficult. Whereas Governor Abbott claims that Texas is protecting their land from illegal crossings that the Biden administration “encourages” (Yan et al., 2024). Currently, Texas is engaged in a stand-off with the US government, refusing to remove the razor wire barricades despite warnings of repercussions.
Immigration in Texas
Texas Governor Greg Abbott released a statement on January 24th regarding Texas’ call to action and request for help from the Biden Administration. I will link this statement here. He states that “by wasting taxpayer dollars to tear open Texas’s border security infrastructure, President Biden has enticed illegal immigrants away from the 28 legal entry points along this State’s southern border — bridges where nobody drowns — and into the dangerous waters of the Rio Grande.” At first glance, this is a logical statement and it is understandable that Texas is frustrated and out of resources to handle the influx of people to their border. However, this statement implies that there is a realistic way for migrants to enter America. In reality, legal immigration is virtually impossible for 99.9% of those looking to migrate to America (Bier, 2023).
Information sourced from an excellent policy analysis by David Bier, that I will link here, regarding immigration policy in America shows us how truly difficult it is to legally immigrate there. The immigration process to gain a green card in America is based on a variety of criteria (including country of origin) which renders almost all applicants ineligible. From an internal perspective, it seems that Americans often think that it is simply a waiting game and migrants do not want to wait and fill out the necessary paperwork. When, in reality, gaining a green card in America is a process much more similar to winning the lottery (Bier, 2023). So, a major takeaway from this analysis is “when legal immigration is hopeless, illegal immigration should surprise no one” (Bier, 2023).
Here lies the issue. This is not to say that a country shouldn’t strive to know who comes and goes from their sovereign state. I understand why this can be a security issue and take a toll on resources. However, it is clearly a broken system which encourages migrants to find other means to enter the country. I believe this would be a more effective focus for proposed changes to immigration policy, not walls of razor wire.
How Many Migrants Actually go to America
Another misconception that I find to be a hugely misleading narrative perpetuated by the media lately is how many people actually migrate to America. Westerners (particularly Americans, no offence) tend to be under the impression that everybody wants to live in their country. This is not true. In fact, I have attached a graphic that depicts all the countries that accept far more immigrants per capita than America. This image is also sourced from the policy analysis by David Bier. This study is lengthy but incredibly informative on the immigration process in America. If you have the time, I highly recommend reading it. Anyway, here is the graph:
As you can see, there is a distinct gap between legal immigrants per capita and undocumented entries. Even still, America falls far below Canada at the median. Again, this is not to say that an underprepared and underfunded state would not have challenges adapting to an influx of new citizens. However, I believe that the media misconstrued the true number of migrants that arrive in America.
Immigration to America can sometimes be explained as a choice of convenience or desperation. Or not. Or a combination of many factors that those of us who aren’t immigrants cannot understand nor judge. My point here is that we really must move past the narrative of “everyone wants to live in America so keep them out” because the reality is not that black and white.
The Texan Solution
In addition to seizing control of the border, Texas has put forth further measures to address undocumented immigration. One bill in particular that does not seem to be getting much media attention, but definitely should be, is 88(R) HB 20. I found this bill through an article written by Human Rights Watch which criticizes the nature and components of this proposal (Human Rights Watch, 2023). I have read this bill so that you don’t have to, but I will link the full document here if you would like to read it for yourself.
Essentially, this proposal includes the implementation of a “Border Protection Unit” which reports to Governor Abbott and is composed of Texas authorities and citizens. There are a couple parts of this bill that concern me the most. Firstly, any “law-abiding” citizen can be recruited to this unit by the unit chief (appointed by Abbott). All officers in the unit are given the power to “arrest, detain, and deter individuals crossing the border illegally, including with the use of non-deadly force.” The only restriction on citizen recruits is they are not given arresting authority unless the Governor specifically trains them and authorizes it. All other duties are fair game. In addition, all participants in this unit (including employed citizens) “shall have immunity from criminal and civil liability for any actions taken that are authorized by this subchapter.”
In case you feel that you read that wrong, you didn’t. Under this bill, citizens would be given authority and power to detain and apply physical force to migrants. And in the event of an injustice, which seems extremely likely in this scenario, these unit participants cannot be held liable.
Lastly, this bill also proposes a $10,000 fine and a third-degree felony charge against any migrant who is seen crossing the border without adequate documentation. I believe there is no other way to interpret this proposal as anything other than a dystopian recipe for disaster.
My Thoughts
Immigration is such a complex topic with many moving parts. It is often seen as a grey area when it comes to human rights and international relations issues. However, this case is undoubtedly extreme. The proposal of 88(R) HB 20 introduces further power imbalances between people to an emotionally charged and, for some, racially driven situation. This could turn in to a scary situation very quickly– if you don’t think it has already.
I believe that immigration policy and border patrol should be a Federal responsibility considering it will take cooperation between all states. Specifically, to adequately address immigration concerns such as population distribution and resource allocation. However, in a country as polarized and divided, is this possible? The activity in Texas does not make me hopeful for a peaceful and cooperative solution.
Fortresses made of razor wire guarded by a patrol unit of citizens fuelled by an “us versus them” mentality is far from the best possible solution to this issue. Although I do not have a perfect solution to offer, I strongly believe that if the only way one can find to address this issue is through intimidation, monetary fines, and the infliction of violence, then it may be time for a change in leadership. Evidently, those in leadership positions who are capable of making these important decisions and proposing intelligent solutions are not very good at their job.
Sources
Bier, D. (2023, June). Why Legal Immigration Is Nearly Impossible. CATO Institute. https://www.cato.org/policy-analysis/why-legal-immigration-nearly-impossible
Calderon, R. (2023, December 22). Unprecedented migrant surge at Eagle Pass strains local economy and resources – Eagle Pass Business Journal. Eagle Pass Business Journal. https://www.epbusinessjournal.com/2023/12/unprecedented-migrant-surge-at-eagle-pass-strains-local-economy-and-resources/#:~:text=Pass%20Business%20Journal-,Unprecedented%20Migrant%20Surge%20at%20Eagle%20Pass%20Strains%20Local%20Economy%20and,Eagle%20Pass%20Business%20Journal%2C%20Inc.
Human Rights Watch. (2023, March 29). US: Texas attack on migrants reaches new extremes. Human Rights Watch. https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/03/29/us-texas-attack-migrants-reaches-new-extremes?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAtt2tBhBDEiwALZuhAMMco8cDNgHiXPPelsw7SdP5N2M-ge8iN7pQnYSS0OFBqJFvr4zdWxoCXRMQAvD_BwE
Yan, H., Flores, R., & Weisfeldt, S. (2024, January 29). Texas seized part of the US-Mexico border and blocked federal Border Patrol agents. Here’s what happened next. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/27/us/texas-eagle-pass-us-mexico-border/index.html
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