Texas Gov. Greg Abbott warned migrants crossing the border to beware of alligators in the Rio Grande, saying, “Cross at your own risk.” Abbott’s warning follows a recent encounter between a local fisherman and an alligator. That encounter reinforced previous warnings from the Border Patrol about the river’s many dangers.
The Border Patrol long cautioned migrants about the risks of crossing the Rio Grande, including the presence of alligators.
Border Patrol footage captured near Eagle Pass in 2019 shows alligators in the area, highlighting their long-standing presence. The Laguna Atascosa Wildlife Refuge, the largest protected area in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, noted that alligators have been present in the region since at least 1898.
Immigration reform has been a contentious topic for decades. In 2011, President Barack Obama highlighted his administration’s border security enhancements, including increased patrols and advanced cargo screening. He mocked GOP calls for even stricter measures, jokingly suggesting they might want a “moat with alligators.”
At a January hearing on the impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, California Rep. Robert Garcia criticized Donald Trump’s proposed border security measures, including the idea of alligator-filled moats. Trump denied these claims as far back as 2019.
This recent rhetoric comes amid disputes with President Joe Biden over what Abbott calls encroaching border policies. Abbott warned against the administration’s attempts to halt Texas’ aggressive border measures designed to deter illegal crossings.
Texas implemented a 1,000-foot floating barrier in the Rio Grande through Operation Lone Star to curb illegal crossings from Mexico. However, a U.S. district judge allowed the Biden administration’s lawsuit, which argues that the barrier violates environmental laws governing waterways. Hearings are scheduled for May.
Earlier this month, Abbott praised the National Guard’s efforts for installing more than 120 miles of razor wire along popular entry points on the southern border. However, Customs and Border Protection officials claimed razor wire isn’t effective and can easily be cut through.
Texas is constructing an 80-acre military base camp in Eagle Pass to accommodate up to 2,300 National Guard troops. Operation Lone Star deployed thousands of National Guard troops along the border. States like Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota offered National Guard troops to volunteer for deployment to Texas.
Earlier this month, 35 troops from Nebraska traveled to Texas for a 90-day rotation as part of the latest deployment.
