Eagle Pass City Council to Entertain Approval of Resolution Declaring Local Disaster Due to Migrant Surge Crossings
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2023
The City of Eagle Pass, Texas City Council will consider and possibly approve a resolution of the City Council of a local disaster declaration due to the migrant surge crossings at a Special Meeting scheduled on Tuesday, September 26, 2023, at City Council Chambers at City Hall, 100 South Monroe Street, Eagle Pass, Texas 78852, according to Agenda Item No. 12 of the meeting.
Eagle Pass Mayor Rolando Salinas, Jr. issued and signed a Declaration of Local Disaster Due to Migrant Surge on Tuesday, September 19, 2023, pursuant to the Texas Disaster Act of 1975 relating to Emergency Management and Public Health under Chapter 418 of the Texas Government Code, as a result of over 2,500 undocumented migrants who crossed the Rio Grande from Mexico into the United States at or near the Eagle Pass Union Pacific Railroad Bridge. The Mayor’s Emergency Declaration is valid for only seven (7) days, at which time the entire City Council must review, consider, and possibly approve an extension of the Declaration of Local Disaster for a period until terminated by the City Council, if approved for extension.
Mayor Salinas also unilaterally issued and signed an Affidavit on Wednesday, September 20, 2023, authorizing all law enforcement agencies, including the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the Texas Military Department, to detain and file charges for misdemeanor criminal trespass against any unauthorized person such as migrants who cross into the United States through the Rio Grande at Shelby Park, a City-owned public park, and the Eagle Pass Golf Course or municipal property.
An earlier Affidavit signed by Mayor Salinas in May of 2023 was unanimously rescinded by the Eagle Pass City Council on August 1, 2023 after a DPS Trooper-Medic whistleblower advised his superiors and the press that DPS Officers and Texas National Guard soldiers working under Governor Greg Abbott’s Operation Lone Star border security program were treating migrants inhumane and not providing them water nor assistance.
The Eagle Pass City Council, however, has not yet approved the new Affidavit signed by Mayor Salinas on September 20, 2023. If the City Council approves the Declaration of Local Disaster issued by Mayor Salinas on September 19, 2023 at their September 26, 2023 Special Meeting under Agenda Item No. 12 may result in approving the Affidavit.
The purpose of the Declaration of Local Disaster due to the migrant crossings on September 18, 2023 is to enable the City of Eagle Pass to apply for funding from Governor Abbott’s Operation Lone Star Program and the Texas Emergency Management Division as well as from the federal government.
Subsequently to the signing of the Declaration of Local Disaster by Mayor Salinas on September 19, 2023, an estimated 15,000 undocumented migrants seeking asylum in the United States have crossed the Rio Grande at Eagle Pass, Texas, according to Mayor Salinas.
Governor Abbott issued a directive to DPS to reinstate safety inspections on all commercial vehicles or trucks crossing into Texas from Mexico at certain Ports of Entry, including Eagle Pass, causing chaos, long delays, traffic jams at Ports of Entry, and significant financial losses to the economies of Texas, United States, and Mexico, including Eagle Pass. Local commercial truck drivers view the Abbott-ordered commercial safety inspections as retaliatory against Mexico for the migrant crossings. Previously, an earlier commercial safety inspection directive issued by Abbot in 2021 caused the United States economy a $9 Billion loss, including $4.23 Billion to the Texas economy.
The U. S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Laredo Sector Office ordered the closing of Eagle Pass International Bridge No. 1 effective Wednesday, September 20, 2023, due to the migrant crossings since it needed to reassign CBP officers to assist with the processing of the migrants crossing through Eagle Pass. Mayor Salinas reported that the City of Eagle Pass has lost to date up to $400,000 from loss of International Bridge revenues as of September 25, 2023. Eagle Pass International Bridge No. 1 remains closed to vehicular traffic, except pedestrians, as of this article.
The majority of the estimated 15,000 migrants who crossed through Eagle Pass have been already processed and removed from the community by authorities. Many were bused out of state by courtesy of Governor Abbott’s Operation Lone Star.
The Eagle Pass City Council will entertain the possible approval of Mayor Salinas’ Declaration of Local Disaster at their Special Meeting on Tuesday, September 26, 2023, at 5:30 p.m.
