Texas Forms Miles-Long Border Barrier from State Troopers and National Guard Vehicles

Texas Department of Safety vehicles line up along the bank of the Rio Grande near an encam
AP Photo/Julio Cortez

DEL RIO, Texas — Governor Greg Abbott ordered the Texas Department of Public Safety and National Guard to use vehicles to create a miles-long barrier to stop the flow of mostly Haitian migrants from crossing the Rio Grande. The vehicle barrier, along with the recently constructed Texas border fencing, effectively blocked the illegal crossings and enabled Border Patrol officials to reduce the population of the Del Rio migrant encampment.

Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw briefs Governor Greg Abbott and other officials on efforts to secure the border. (Photo: Bob Price/Breitbart Texas)

Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw briefs Governor Greg Abbott and other officials on efforts to secure the border. (Photo: Bob Price/Breitbart Texas)

Governor Abbott ordered the DPS and Texas National Guard on September 19 to begin the use of a vehicle barrier to block the crossing of migrants from Ciudad Acuna, Coahuila, to Del Rio, Texas. Since that time, hundreds of law enforcement vehicles poured into the region creating a miles-long barrier along the Rio Grande, DPS officials told the governor during a briefing on Tuesday in Del Rio.

In addition to the barrier provided by law enforcement and Texas military vehicles, the governor also ordered the building of physical barriers along the river to stop the unrestricted flow of migrants. On Tuesday, Breitbart Texas observed several miles of border barrier built by the state where no physical barrier existed three months ago.

New border barriers built by the State of Texas along the Rio Grande near Del Rio. (Photo: Bob Price/Breitbart Texas)

Border barriers were recently built by the State of Texas along the Rio Grande near Del Rio. (Photo: Bob Price/Breitbart Texas)

“The State of Texas is taking unprecedented steps to secure the border, and we will continue to respond in full force to keep Texans safe,” the Texas governor told reporters during a Tuesday afternoon press conference. “The Biden Administration’s failure to enforce immigration laws and halt illegal crossings on a federal dam poses life-threatening risks to Texans and the migrants themselves.”

Texas border fending near Del Rio. (Photo: Bob Price/Breitbart Texas)

Texas border fencing near Del Rio. (Photo: Bob Price/Breitbart Texas)

“The only thing they have shown is an incapability of dealing with this crisis, candidly in a way where they pretend it doesn’t even exist,” Abbott added. “We’re here to tell you, it exists, it’s total chaos, and the Biden administration, they need to up their game big time.”

During a Monday press conference held by DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas at the Del Rio International Bridge, the secretary told reporters they are working to clear the mostly Haitian migrants from the encampment.

DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz address reporters at the migrant camp in Del Rio, Texas. (Photo: Randy Clark, Breitbart Texas)

DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz address reporters at the migrant camp in Del Rio, Texas. (Photo: Randy Clark, Breitbart Texas)

However, the population of the encampment did not decline until the State of Texas began blocking the migrant crossing points from Mexico.

Texas Department of Public Safety Southern Region Director Victor Escalon told Governor Abbott the efforts by troopers and National Guardsmen stopped the flow of migrants across the Rio Grande into Del Rio. This enabled the Department of Homeland Security to remove enough migrants to decrease the population of the migrant camp under the international bridge.

Breitbart Texas observed hundreds of additional Texas DPS vehicles streaming southward on Tuesday night.

Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior news contributor for the Breitbart Texas-Border team. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston’s What’s Your Point? Sunday-morning talk show. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX and Facebook.

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