The gates of Shelby Park in Eagle Pass are now open after over a year of lockdown, according to local residents.
Lone Star Defenders—which purports to defend people apprehended at the southern border—posted that Shelby Park, which was once a hotspot for illegal border crossings, is now open to the public.
The concrete barriers, guards, and armored tactical vehicles that have resided in the park since early 2024, when the state occupied the park, have mostly been removed.
Gov. Greg Abbott’s press secretary, Andrew Mahaleris, told News4SA “Because of President Trump’s swift and decisive leadership in securing the border, illegal crossings in Eagle Pass are at a record low. As a result, there is no longer a need for Texas to maintain northern-facing barriers, though the state will maintain barriers and a presence on the border itself.”
“Texas held the line against the Biden-Harris border crisis for the past four years, and Governor Abbott looks forward to continuing to work closely with President Trump and his administration to protect our state and the nation,” he continued.
In January 2024, Shelby Park became the focal point of a standoff between Texas National Guardsmen, who were securing the park, and federal law enforcement who were ordered by the Biden administration to cut razor wire fencing in the area.
The U.S. Supreme Court sided with Biden in a January 22 ruling.
Yet Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton refused to surrender the park.
In November 2024, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Texas, allowing razor wire and barricades to remain along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Meanwhile, Border Patrol is continuing its efforts to clamp down on illegal border crossings, which have plummeted since President Donald Trump took office on January 20.
