Texas Increases Razor Wire and Fencing at New Mexico Border
EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) – While U.S. Border Patrol encounters with unauthorized migrants have seen a significant drop since June, Texas Governor Greg Abbott remains concerned about the estimated 58,000 migrants who continue to cross the Rio Grande or breach border walls each month.
In a tweet on Saturday, Abbott stated, “Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have allowed more illegal immigrants to cross our southern border than ever before. Texas is fighting back. We are tripling our razor wire border barriers to deny illegal entry into our state and our country.”
Just days later, Texas Army National Guard troops were seen fortifying the border near El Paso. A KTSM camera crew captured footage of soldiers laying concertina wire and setting up fencing along the Rio Grande. Notably, this barrier faces not Mexico, but New Mexico, highlighting Texas’ concern about smuggling activities spilling over from New Mexico into Texas.
Earlier this year, Texas extended the border barrier where the Rio Grande turns north into New Mexico. This area has been a hotspot for illegal smuggling, and the state’s efforts aim to prevent the issue from migrating into Texas. The region has also seen several incidents of migrants being rescued from strong river currents by border agents and first responders from the El Paso and Sunland Park fire departments.
The Santa Teresa Station in New Mexico remains one of the most active areas for migrant smuggling operations. In fact, many of the 171 reported encounters with deceased migrants this fiscal year occurred in the desert near Sunland Park.
The newly extended concertina wire barrier now stretches from West Paisano Drive on the Texas side to the Anapra, N.M., bridge, located between El Paso and Sunland Park, further strengthening the state’s efforts to secure the border.
