As the U.S. Supreme Court debates the future of Title 42, South Texas ranchers are concerned about the potential effects of an onslaught of illegal border crossings on local lands and resources.
Kinney County Attorney and rancher Brent Smith told Fox Business, “This is already a dumpster fire of a mess, and it’s gonna get worse when Title 42 goes away.”’
As a county between two legal ports of entry but without one itself, Kinney County has been bombarded with smuggling operations since President Joe Biden’s inauguration.
“We don’t know [what we’re going to do],” said Smith. “I just go back to Governor Abbott, and we’re relying on him to take the actions [needed] to secure the border.”
Smith recommends that Gov. Greg Abbott utilize his constitutional authority to halt illegal crossings before they occur rather than bus illegal aliens further into the country’s interior.
Meanwhile, Title 42—a common reference to the March 2020 pandemic health order the Trump administration issued to expel illegal border-crossers quickly—was set to end Wednesday but has been stayed by the U.S. Supreme Court following a lawsuit led by Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich.
“Getting rid of Title 42 will recklessly and needlessly endanger more Americans and migrants by exacerbating the catastrophe that is occurring at our southern border,” said Brnovich. “Unlawful crossings are estimated to surge from 7,000 per day to as many as 18,000.”
Meanwhile, border areas appear unprepared to handle such an influx of illegal aliens; El Paso has already declared a state of emergency in preparation for the end of Title 42.
“It is a disaster down there,” said border security expert Victor Avila earlier this week, explaining that El Paso is using parking garages to hold illegal aliens in transit.
As Texans on the border prepare for the worst, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton says, “We’ll see what SCOTUS does next.”
Concerned citizens can contact their elected officials to ask how they will work to advance border security in the upcoming legislative session beginning January 10.
