With “Texas Civil War” trending on Tik Tok, and “Texas border” trending on X (Twitter), a lot of misinformation has circulated about what’s happened in Eagle Pass.
Because not everyone knows and understands the recent events that’s occurred at the Texas border, as well as the legal battle surrounding it, social media is spinning this conversation and teenagers are running with it.
Majority of this discourse is rooted in Gov. Abbott’s efforts to regulate and enforce the immigration laws, and whether the President is enforcing the immigration laws effectively.
Both sides have been disputing the necessary procedures to regulate illegal entry through the border, after Gov. Abbott ordered a barricade of razor wire to be put up, preventing the federal authorities from entering.
The Razor Wire
According to The Hill, Texas began setting up razor wire along the border where a surge of migrants were seen coming through at the Rio Grande River.
In late 2023, the razor wire was initially put up in response to the thousands of illegal migrants that had entered the state, that year. According to Abbott and the U.S Customs and Border Patrol (CPB), the razor wire has “led to a major reduction in inflow.”
Being that, constitutionally it is within the federal government’s power to regulate and enforce border control, naturally, the Biden administration ordered the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to cut down the razor wire, saying that it “simply make[s] it harder and more dangerous for front-line personnel to do their jobs— and respond to emergencies (since they don’t have access to the area),” White House spokesperson Angelo Fernandez Hernandez said.
Andrew Mahaleris, Abbott’s spokesperson, said the removal of razor wire and other deterrents encourages people to risk unsafe crossings and makes the job of Texas border personnel more difficult.
In Oct. 2023 Texas sued the Biden administration, arguing that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents had no power to cut fencing that is said to have been permitted by the landowners, putting a hold on CBP’s ability to remove the razor wire.
A mother and her children drown while crossing the border in Eagle Pass
After the drowning and death of a mother and her two children in Eagle Pass, attention was brought to the Texas border control’s regulatory procedures. While Texas argued that the family wasn’t found on Texas’ side, it still brought about grave attention to whether these procedures were inhumane.
“At no time did TMD security personnel along the river observe any distressed migrants, nor did Texas Military Department (TMD) turn back any illegal immigrants from the US during this period,” the TMD said. “Also, at no point was TMD made aware of any bodies in the area of Shelby Park, nor was TMD made aware of any bodies being discovered on the US side of the border regarding this situation.”
What the Supreme Court ruled
In light of this tragic incident, The Supreme Court ruled that the U.S. border agents are allowed to remove razor wire installed by the state of Texas, after The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, temporarily barred CBP agents from cutting or moving the wire, except in cases of medical emergencies. In the same breath, there was no ruling prohibiting Texas authorities from putting the razor wire back up.
This ruling was settled January 22, with Abbott saying “he will not reduce efforts to protect the Texas border.” All of this is apart of a bigger initiative for Gov. Abbott to enforce the immigration laws, arguing that the federal government isn’t doing enough to regulate the border.
While there hasn’t been much back and forth with Biden and Abbott since the ruling, former President Donald Trump and President Biden have been using the border conversation as a campaigning tactic to influence public opinion and steer votes.
With the 2024 presidential election in November, many people are paying vivid attention to both candidates, being that many people have different opinions concerning the border and illegal immigration.
Though we absolutely should be paying attention to this upcoming presidential election, I advice people to pay closer attention to the congressional election on November 5, especially since Congress influences our laws and policies more than the president.
Staying educated, especially on the media
This discussion surrounding border control, immigration laws and balance of power, is less of a “civil war issue,” and more of a political conversation about the responsibilities the federal government has, and the boundaries of state governments have.
This topic, specifically how it’s being discussed on social media, is a perfect example of how us young people can take a piece of inaccurate information, and spread it like a flu.
Though we’re young, our political climate should concern us, and it’s vital that we’re educating ourselves correctly on the matter, especially if it’s involving our state governor. You should do your research when it comes to knowing the accurate ideas and policies our government is proposing and how it’ll affect us citizens, instead of relying solely on social media to stay informed.