(NewsNation) — As more than a dozen Republican governors gathered Sunday on the Texas border, Gov. Greg Abbott vowed he’ll maintain state control over specific border areas and expand efforts to limit illegal crossings, escalating his showdown with the Biden administration over immigration enforcement.
Abbott was joined by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders of Arkansas and Gov. Bill Lee of Tennessee, among other Republicans, in Eagle Pass who showed support for Abbott, pledging to deploy additional state troopers from their states to the southern border to assist Texas.
Mike Banks, special advisor to Abbott on border affairs, told NewsNation that Texas will continue to expand operations along the border in areas experiencing heightened migrant traffic in recent weeks.
For nearly a month, Texas has restricted U.S. Border Patrol’s access to an area along the river known as Shelby Park, accusing the Biden administration of not being tough enough on crossings.
Abbott touted the state’s efforts to reinforce border security by installing additional razor wire in Eagle Pass, in an attempt to block and deter illegal crossings, particularly in areas like Shelby Park. According to Abbott, illegal crossings in the park have plummeted from thousands per day to merely three per day.
Declines in crossings are part of a complex mix of developments along the U.S.-Mexico border, including heightened enforcement in Mexico. Meanwhile, migrants are moving further down the river and crossing elsewhere.
The record number of border crossings is a political liability for President Joe Biden and an issue that Republicans are eager to put front and center to voters in an election year.
The arrival of GOP governors to Eagle Pass rounds out a weekend that has kept the small border city of roughly 30,000 residents in an unwitting spotlight. Hundreds protesting Biden’s immigration policies held a “Take Back Our Border” rally on the outskirts of the city on Saturday where vendors sold Donald Trump-inspired MAGA hats and Trump flags.
The number of crossings in Eagle Pass has recently fallen to a few hundred a day. Texas closed access to federal agents at Shelby Park after the number of crossings decreased sharply at the end of December. Mike Banks, who Abbott appointed last year to oversee Texas’ border operations, described the park as a “magnet” for migrants trying to enter the country.
Mexico has bolstered immigration efforts that include adding more checkpoints and sending people from the northern border to southern Mexico. The country has also deported some Venezuelan migrants back home.
The issue was also at the forefront in Washington. Senate negotiators have struck a deal on the border that would grant Biden extensive authority to restrict illegal crossings. However, the proposal is facing resistance in the House. Abbott asserts that regardless of what develops in Washington, Texas remains committed to safeguarding its border.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.