Texas Gov. Takes ‘Full Control’ of Eagle Pass Park After Border Chaos

Gov. Greg Abbott has indicated the measure is about strengthening deterrents for migrants making their way to the U.S.-Mexico border.

People wait in the Rio Grande for an opening in the razor wire barrier, to illegally cross into the United States at Eagle Pass, Texas, on Sept. 25, 2023. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

Texas state authorities have taken control of a public park fronting the Rio Grande in Eagle Pass, a southern border town that saw a massive spike in illegal crossings last month.

Eagle Pass Mayor Rolando Salinas said officials from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) informed him on Wednesday morning that state authorities are “taking full control” of the park as part of an operation to combat unprecedented illegal border crossings.