President Biden and former President Trump are both addressing the migrant crisis in Texas border towns, with Trump in Eagle Pass and Biden in Brownsville, highlighting the contentious issue for the 2024 election. Trump is visiting a location with razor wire and a National Guard facility, while Biden is across the Rio Grande River from Matamoros, Mexico.
President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are making dueling appearances on the Texas border, with Biden choosing Brownsville and Trump picking Eagle Pass, providing sharply different backdrops. The Rio Grande Valley, where Brownsville is located, has seen a sharp drop in illegal crossings, while Del Rio, which includes Eagle Pass, has become a new hotspot for migration. The two cities have different capacities for handling migrants, with Brownsville being more capable due to its larger population and infrastructure. Both cities are Democratic strongholds, but Republicans are gaining ground, especially in the Eagle Pass area, where Texas Governor Greg Abbott has focused his multibillion-dollar border campaign.
John Sayles, writer and director of the film Lone Star, shares his inspiration for the movie and the challenges of making it. Actor Chris Cooper discusses his role and the personal connections he drew upon for his character. The film's seamless transitions between past and present reflect the idea that history is never far from the present, and its exploration of border conflict remains relevant today.
Mexican soldiers killed 12 gunmen in a shootout near the Texas border in the township of Miguel Aleman, with 12 rifles seized at the scene. The area has been a site of ongoing turf battles and violence involving the Cartel of the Northeast and the Gulf cartel. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, and the Mexican army has not provided further details.
Mexican soldiers killed 12 gunmen in a shootout near the Texas border in the township of Miguel Aleman, with 12 rifles seized at the scene. The area has been a site of turf battles and violence involving the Cartel of the Northeast and the Gulf cartel, but no group has claimed responsibility for the recent attack on the soldiers.
Republican governors, including Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, gathered in Texas to support Gov. Greg Abbott's efforts to secure the southern border and pledged resources to help protect the country. They criticized President Biden for not using his power to secure the border and accused him of passing the blame onto Congress. The hot spot of Eagle Pass, where Texas has been in a standoff with the Biden administration, has seen a decrease in border crossings, prompting Texas to deny access to U.S. Border Patrol agents at Shelby Park.
A much-hyped "God's Army" convoy of MAGA supporters near the Texas border turned out to be a small gathering of vehicles, exposing the impotence of the movement. Residents expressed concern over the influx of Trump supporters and criticized the staged events as misrepresenting the reality on the border. Meanwhile, a bipartisan Senate bill addressing the border crisis was released, but Trump loyalists in the House have dismissed it. The article argues that the MAGA movement is a con, with its promises falling short and its influence waning.
Sarah Palin addressed a crowd of over 1,000 "patriots" at a "Take Our Border Back" rally in Texas, vowing to "take our country back" as the state's National Guard has seized control of the border from federal agents. The rally, featuring American and Trump flags, merchandise, and speakers like Ted Nugent, aims to protest for greater security at the southern border. The group, dubbed "God's Army," has traveled through nine states and plans to hold three rallies in three cities on Saturday. Tensions between Texas state officials and the federal government have increased over control of a major border crossing area, with the state installing razor wire to stop migrants from entering the country.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is sending up to 1,000 National Guard members and State Guard volunteers to assist Texas in fortifying the southern border with razor wire, aiming to stop what he described as an "invasion" of asylum-seekers and migrants. DeSantis has revived the State Guard and increased its funding, allowing him to send troops to other states. This move comes after the Supreme Court ruled that the federal government could remove barriers erected by Texas at the border, but Texas National Guard continued placing razor wire.
A group calling themselves "God's army" is organizing a convoy to head to the Texas border to stop migrants from entering the US. The group, "Take Our Border Back," plans to hold rallies in California, Arizona, and Texas, and has sub-groups on Telegram for coordination. The group claims to be peaceful and aims to stop illegal immigration immediately, but it is unclear how they plan to confront migrants at the border. Tensions around immigration are rising, with record levels of migration and Texas National Guard troops in a standoff with the federal government.
A bill introduced in the Florida legislature could allow Governor Ron DeSantis to deploy the Florida State Guard to the Texas-Mexico border in support of Governor Greg Abbott's efforts to block illegal immigration. The bill, if passed, would remove the requirement that the State Guard be used exclusively within Florida, potentially allowing it to be deployed elsewhere in the U.S. Tensions in Texas have surged over Abbott's actions, including deploying razor-wire along the border, leading to calls for support from other states' National Guards.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott's comment about not shooting migrants at the border has sparked controversy in El Paso, with residents expressing concern and disbelief. Abbott defended his efforts to protect the border, including building walls and passing legislation, while facing criticism from Congresswoman Veronica Escobar. The debate over the effectiveness and humanity of Abbott's approach continues, with calls for bipartisan immigration reform in the Borderland.
Governor Jim Pillen of Nebraska is sending over 60 Nebraska Army National Guard soldiers to the Texas border as part of "Operation Lone Star" initiated by Texas Governor Greg Abbott. The soldiers will assist in security and law enforcement efforts to combat the influx of illegal drugs, weapons, and criminals. This deployment follows a May security briefing where Abbott invited Pillen and other Republican governors, including Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, who pledged support from her state. The costs for this deployment will be covered by federal funds directed through the Nebraska National Guard.
Customs officials at the Texas border seized 17.8 pounds of cocaine concealed inside four large wheels of cheese being transported from Mexico. The 22-year-old driver, a US citizen who legally declared the cheese, will face charges for the failed smuggling attempt. This incident is part of a larger trend of smugglers using everyday objects to transport drugs into the US, including ice cream makers and wheelchairs. Seizures of cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, and marijuana have increased by 7% from May to June, prompting Customs and Border Protection to ramp up efforts to disrupt drug trafficking.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is sending over 1,100 state law enforcement agents and National Guard members to the Texas border with Mexico, a tenfold increase compared to a similar move in 2021. The move comes just weeks ahead of his expected presidential launch and amid his renewed focus on immigration. The personnel will be at the border for 30 days, with possible extensions, and will include 800 members of the Florida National Guard, 200 agents from the state Department of Law Enforcement, 101 state highway patrol troopers, 20 agents from the state Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Department of Emergency Management, 5 fixed-wing aircraft, 17 unmanned drones, and 10 waterborne vessels.