Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) announced plans on Thursday to build a wall along the border with Mexico because “change is needed to fix the border crisis.”
Abbott made the announcement at a border security summit he hosted in Del Rio, a city along Texas’ southwestern border. He plans to release more details next week.
Abbott also announced that starting next week Texas will begin to arrest migrants who trespass on private property, CNN reports. He made it clear that this would only apply to single adults not to families with children.
“The state is working collaboratively with communities impacted by the crisis to arrest and detain individuals coming into Texas illegally,” Abbott said. “Our efforts will only be effective if we work together to secure the border, make criminal arrests, protect landowners, rid our communities of dangerous drugs, and provide Texans with the support they need and deserve.”
Laredo Mayor Pete Saenz, who was present at the conference told CNN that Abbott’s wall is more like a fence and that damage to fence would be the basis for arresting migrants crossing the border illegally.
The damage to the fence will be used as proof of the trespassing on private property, he told CNN.
Gov. Abbott has also created a task force to help formulate ideas on how to stop undocumented immigrants and illegal contraband from entering the country.
All construction on the Southern border wall was officially canceled in April. This after President Biden signed an executive order halting its construction and ordered a 60 day review of the project when he took office in January, according to NBC News.
