While illegal aliens are allowed to cross Texas’ open border, the federal government is transporting these individuals nationwide through airports in Abilene and, reportedly, San Antonio. It’s unclear if these illegal aliens have been tested for the Chinese coronavirus.
It’s been discovered the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Agency has been chartering private planes to fly illegal aliens from the Abilene Regional Airport—which is near an ICE detention facility—to other parts of the country where others are sponsoring them. A sponsor can be a relative or friend.
Footage was captured of illegal aliens coming to and from the airport on buses and boarding and leaving planes there. U.S. Congressman Jodey Arrington (R–TX) said state and local officials were completely unaware of this operation, and that it’s likely been happening for a while. His attempts to get straight answers from federal officials haven’t been successful, including his question on whether these aliens were tested for the Chinese coronavirus. Retired ICE agent Victor Avila has previously said illegal aliens with the virus are “one of the biggest sources” of rising cases of COVID–19 in the country.
According to Avila, this isn’t the only Texas airport where this is occurring. “Tremendous amounts of aliens are being dropped off at the San Antonio airport. I hear that Biden/[Department of Homeland Security] don’t want the aliens to spend any time at the border,” he told Texas Scorecard. “You won’t see them come walking through the wall door anymore like they were last week. They are now being picked up by U.S. personnel, out of sight, then driven through.” On July 22, a video surfaced of illegal aliens being walked through an open gate at the Texas border and into a Border Patrol vehicle.
In a statement, ICE said they used the Abilene airport to “facilitate detainee transfers in accordance with operational needs.” They also admitted to “transporting individuals released from ICE custody to regional airports or bus stations, in accordance with COVID–19 protocols” and that these individuals “have a transportation and a temporary support plan in place prior to release.”
ICE continued to explain they’re working with “non-governmental organizations” to ensure these illegal aliens are provided with “temporary shelter,” “transportation services,” and items like food and clothing.
Congressman Arrington sent a series of questions to the Department of Homeland Security and ICE about the federal illegal alien trafficking operation in Abilene. Included among his questions was whether there is testing for the Chinese coronavirus, and what the “protocol” is for those who test positive.
This news comes after reports U.S. Border Patrol in Texas reassigned agents in the field from “apprehending” to “processing” illegal aliens. A federal judge also temporarily halted Gov. Greg Abbott’s “ambiguous” executive order prohibiting private companies and nonprofits from transporting illegal aliens from the southern border to other parts of the state.
While Abbott has ordered the Texas National Guard to arrest “lawbreakers at the border,” citizens discovered his promised “border wall” is a chain-link fence. It was also reported the Texas Department of Emergency Management rebuffed a request from one of Texas’ border counties to receive aid from Florida sheriffs.
No serious state or federal effort has been made to stop illegal border crossings. Abbott has put border security on the Texas Legislature’s to-do list for the current special session, which remains stalled due to fewer than 100 members of the Texas House being present.
