Eagle Pass, Texas, has turned into the epicenter of a growing feud between Texas and federal authorities over how to tackle the migrant crisis and who has jurisdiction over that part of the US-Mexico border,
CNN reports.
The dispute intensified on January 10, when Texas authorities effectively blocked US Border Patrol agents from a 2.5-mile area in Eagle Pass, which had seen a surge of migrant crossings. This area includes Shelby Park, a city park on the Rio Grande that is now fenced off with gates and razor wire – impeding the Border Patrol’s access.
On January 12, after the Texas Military Department “seized and secured Shelby Park,” two children and a mother drowned in a nearby part of the Rio Grande. Now, Texas and US officials are accusing each other of contributing to the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.