"Texas Governor Denies Allegations of Allowing Migrants to Drown, White House Demands Border Access"

Texas Governor Greg Abbott refuted accusations that the state allowed migrants to drown in the Rio Grande by preventing Border Patrol access, stating that the drownings had already occurred when access was requested. An investigation by the Texas Military Department found the accusations to be inaccurate, with soldiers in direct communication with Border Patrol and Mexican authorities having already recovered the bodies. Abbott blamed the deaths on the Biden administration's immigration policies, while the Department of Homeland Security sent a cease-and-desist letter to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton regarding Border Patrol access to the area.