Border Communities Declaring Local States of Disaster Over Growing Crossings

Several counties in Texas are declaring a “local state of disaster” over the growing number of illegal immigrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border and entering their communities. 

The Texas Tribune reported this week that the counties that declare a local disaster due to the border crisis could receive funding and support through Gov. Greg Abbott’s (R) Operation Lone Star program, a border security initiative in the state between the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Texas Military Department.

One county in particular, Hopkins County, sits more than 500 miles from the southern border and an eight-hour drive away, the Tribune noted. County commissioners declared a state of disaster in the county over an “invasion” of migrants flooding into their community since President Biden took office.

“The health, safety and welfare of Hopkins County residents are under an imminent threat of disaster from the unprecedented levels of illegal immigration, human trafficking, and drug smuggling coming across the U.S. border from Mexico,” the declaration reportedly said. 

Kinney County, which is between Del Rio and Eagle Pass, was the first to do this in April 2021. Since then, over 30 counties have done so, according to the Tribune. Afterwards, this allows the counties to apply for support through Operation Lone Star for their law enforcement.

Townhall has covered how Abbott began sending illegal immigrants on buses to “sanctuary cities” led by Democrats, such as Washington, D.C., Chicago, New York City, and the latest, Philadelphia to share the burden of Biden’s open border policies.

“Since April, Texas’ busing strategy has successfully provided much-needed relief to our border communities overwhelmed by the historic influx of migrants caused by President Biden’s reckless open border policies,” Abbott said in a statement announcing the busload of migrants being sent to Philadelphia.

 “Until the Biden Administration does its job and provides Texans and the American people with sustainable border security, Texas will continue doing more than any other state in the nation’s history to defend against an invasion along the border, including adding more sanctuary cities like Philadelphia as drop-off locations for our busing strategy,” he added. 

According to CBS News, Texas officials have sent over 13,000 illegal immigrants to New York City and Chicago. As Julio covered, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot (D) sent some of the migrants to towns outside the city without warning.

Townhall covered how Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, on two occasions, asked the Pentagon to send in the National Guard to help process the migrants that were sent to the nation’s capital.  The Pentagon denied her requests.

In an interview, Bowser then said that D.C. is “not Texas” and cannot accommodate the migrants. 

Democrat Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser: “We’re not a border town. We don’t have an infrastructure to handle this type of and level of immigration to our city … We’re not Texas.” pic.twitter.com/yqiZZbQAp0

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) September 16, 2022