Texas has deployed thousands of cameras to the U.S. southern border as Governor Greg Abbott continues to find new ways to curb migration into his state.
The cameras, according to a report from NewsNation’s Ali Bradley, are a part of Abbott’s Operation Lone Star, which was launched in 2021. At least 7,600 cameras have been sent to the border, and around 1,000 have been attached to the wall built by Abbott’s administration between the U.S. and Mexico. Bradley reported that the cameras are being monitored by the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Abbott’s administration has repeatedly clashed with President Joe Biden as tensions mount regarding the U.S.-Mexico border. The Democratic president is facing increased scrutiny from Republicans over his handling of immigration, with some lawmakers declaring a “crisis” along the southern border. Abbott, an ally of former President Donald Trump, has publicly defied White House policies pertaining to migration and other issues.
On Tuesday, Abbott shared a video to X, formerly Twitter, of the Texas border wall being expanded with the help of constructions crews. The governor wrote that his state “continues to work around the clock on our historic border wall.”
Abbott has also used controversial measures to divert immigration, including installation of a floating buoy barrier in part of the Rio Grande that has been condemned by human rights groups and Democrats over creating safety risks for migrants.
The Biden administration has sued Texas over the buoys and its use of razor wire along the border, claiming that they also obstruct federal law enforcement from safely reaching migrants attempting to cross the border. The White House also sued Texas to block a law signed by Abbott that would allow state and local law enforcement to detain and deport individuals suspected of crossing the border illegally. That suit is still being decided in court.
Newsweek reached out to Abbott’s administration via email for additional comment Wednesday evening.
Democratic lawmakers have long pushed for a humanitarian-focused approach to addressing immigration issues, while Republicans have focused on increased funding for law and order and establishing stricter immigration policies.
Biden’s administration announced earlier this week that it was preparing to make changes to the asylum process to speed up the processing and potential removal of migrants arriving at the southern border, according to a report from the Associated Press (AP). The changes would allow certain individuals to be processed through the asylum system first rather than going to the “back of the line,” according to four people familiar with the matter who spoke with AP.
According to data from Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), encounters along the U.S. southern border dropped from March to April, with 179,725 encounters reported last month. The figure is a significant drop from the end of last year, when 301,980 encounters—a record high—were reported in December.
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